A New Hunt: Death and Rebirth
by Luna Silvereyes
Summary: Born into the dying stages of a race of winged humanoids, Avocet has been cast out of her clan with deformed wings. Stalked by humans and black demons, she makes a desperate deal with a devil in order to live. Assimilating into his clan, Avocet struggles to hold onto herself as she begins to grow in their ways and come to terms with the grim fate of the world of her birth.
1. One

**A New Hunt-Death and Rebirth**

 **Luna Silvereyes**

 **A/N: Well, it's been a while and honestly I have no idea what brought this on. I haven't written anything in over a year and I was beginning to think my creative well had dried up and moved on to something else. As a full time seamstress and costume designer, my time is a bit cramped these days. It would figure then that The Predator of all things would rekindle my creative fuel. Yes, this is a weird crossover, yes, I'm still new to the fanfiction game for the AvP franchise, yes, my writing may be a little rusty, but I'll do my best and have no regrets. In order to combat and best the infamous and tenacious enemy known as writer's block, especially given my track record, I'll be updating roughly once a month. So, shall we begin the hunt?**

 **((This is translated Yautja speak)) They will just speak within normal quotations when they're the only ones in the scene.**

 **ARC I**

Across the sun-baked plateau, blackbirds and buzzards gathered over the broiled remains of some poor beast, sprawled out on the parched desert Earth, its skin already leathery and tough as the moisture left its body. Its vacant eyes, long since plucked out by some lucky avian, stared emptily into the hazy horizon. Any troubles, if it had any, had long since become dusty memories, soon to be followed by its Earthly flesh.

And strangely enough, despite the number of birds circling overhead, not a single one of them dared approach. They were waiting patiently, perched atop the baking Earth and roasting rock as they eyed the approach of a much larger, stronger avian. It touched down, massive dark wings beating the dust around it as they tucked behind the back of the creature. The swishing, feathered tail slashed once as the creature stood up, gaining its Earthly balance, before settling. The scaly, clawed feet gouged into the parched soil as it approached the carcass, eying it distastefully. Yet as its feathered audience watched, even this new scavenger would not approach to feed. It bared its teeth, tail slashing the air angrily as it turned away, eyes narrowed; "Tainted. Another animal, tainted. I can't take this one back either."

Leaving the poisoned carcass behind to the few birds who wouldn't know better, the avian scavenger left, snarling under his breath as he made his way back the direction he'd come.

Recently, too many animal carcasses were turning up tainted, their scents turned sour, their meat inedible. The smell that replaced them was rancid, foul, and unnerving. This hadn't happened before, at least not in numbers this size. Combining this with the rapid movement of the humans recently in a southern direction had the avian highly suspicious...suspicious and worried.

He reached the edge of a deep ravine overlooking the expansive, ever-spreading desert stretching from the northern mountains to the edges of the sea far beyond. Somewhere to the east and west were immense forests sheltered by cooling sea mists, but the avian had personally never seen any of them. Too much time was spent just trying to survive on the fringes of territory that once belonged to his clan. Now, it belonged to the ever-encroaching humans, moving steadily forward further into their territory every year. And with their numbers already dwindling, the avian feared for his clan's now very unstable future. His strong legs pushed him forward as he sailed over the edge of the precipice, his wings opening behind him and catching the wind which tore him out of his plummet and far into the sky, angled toward the place he called home. He beat his wings sparingly, saving precious energy that he rarely received the opportunity to replenish. Food was becoming more scarce. He'd gotten lucky and managed to bring down a large deer of some kind, butchering what meat he could carry before other predators came to claim his prize. Too light to fight them off effectively, he would have been forced to abandon whatever was left.

Soaring through the narrow canyons, out of sight of any human hunters, the avian's sharp eyes picked up familiar landmarks; a fallen tree here, a stack of pointed rocks there, a clear brook to his right, and so on. Following these landmarks and the enticing scent of home, he beat his wings once to gain momentum, clearing the edge of the ravine as he reached a secluded, enormous granite cavern, hidden from the rest of the world by a sparse growth of pine trees far above on the clifftop.

The final home of the winged Avian race.

He landed delicately, folding his wings behind him and carrying the small bag of food further in, his long brown tail swishing behind him. Unlike many other creatures with tails, the avian's tail connected at the base of the skull as an extension to the spine like a normal tail, but with much more flexibility. Still providing balance, still providing defense, the tail was covered in spiny feathers which folded down from the tip of the tail to the top of his head, now resembling stiff, dark brown hair atop his head. His clawed feet moved easily and silently in the granite cavern, noticed by a few other avians who raised their heads briefly at his appearance, but then quickly returned to either sleep or to a state of blissful reverie of better times long past.

Striding forward, he paused at an upraising of rocks where a female avian sat beside a smaller female, gently grooming the soft, fluffy black down that covered her entire head. The older female looked up, her sandy brown feathers flowing down from her head to her middle back almost like a mane, before ending abruptly, the feathered tail of the same color twisting thoughtfully through and beneath the mane of feathers as she looked up at his approach. She sighed, "So, another fruitless trek?"

"Not really," he answered, tossing the bag down, "I found some food, but most of the carrion I found was rancid, or else picked clean. We can't eat it."

The female sighed, her feathers rustling as she continued to groom the down of the fledgeling beside her, leaning on her lap and staring ahead lethargically. The older avian shook her head, "She needs to eat, and soon, or she's not going to be okay."

The male bristled, his shorter head feathers ruffling up slightly, "Tell that to our elders," he snapped under his breath, "They've been denying her any food for days. This isn't her fault!"

The female rustled her feathers, creating a short, soothing rushing sound as she looked up at him, "Rail, just go try again. Eat what you need and I'll try giving her the rest."

The male calmed slightly at the sound, but whirled and stomped out, pausing only to return the growls of another avian whose space he invaded on the way to the entrance. Spreading his wings, he took off again, soaring high into the sky. The female watched her son go, lowering her head back to her young daughter who didn't move. She ran her hand through the silky, fluffy black down coating her head thickly and sighed again, her hand now moving to the tiny, immature wings on the girl's back. Solid black, but abnormally small. The older female didn't know what was wrong with her child's wings, only that they were far smaller than they should have been at her age. And for this, the clan was now denying the girl sustenance, as the elders believed she would never fly and thus, never be worthwhile to the clan. The older female resisted the urge to cry, knowing it was both futile and a waste of water in her already parched body. With her mate having been the most recent casualty of human invasion, her son, barely of age, was now forced to take on the role of hunter and scavenger. She wanted to cry not just for her stricken daughter, but for her son as well, being forced to grow up far before he was ready.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned as her sister approached, snapping her wings once in greeting before sitting down beside her. She glanced down at the child, her eyes narrowed, "So how is she doing, Shearwater?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"Not good. She hasn't eaten in two days," Shearwater answered quietly, "The elders told us to stop feeding her. She's getting dangerously weak, Petrel."

"I've seen Rail out there hunting," Petrel said admirably, "He's not bad, at that. Of course, right now, there isn't much to hunt at _all_. I'm surprised he can find anything right now."

Shearwater raised her head, her sunken eyes crinkling in dismay, "He tries so hard. He wants to see her recover. But unless we get a miracle and her wings suddenly grow another foot by tomorrow, there's no chance."

Petrel didn't reply, instead eying her niece with a mixture of empathy and distaste. She would never say in front of her sister, but the elders had a point; taking care of an avian who would never fly was a waste of time and resources that were dwindling fast. The Avians were a proud race, and under normal circumstances, would never abandon one of their own. But circumstances hadn't been normal in many years. The child had never known anything but hardship and hunger. Times were harder on the winged people than they had ever been before. With every generation, they grew weaker and less resilient to the harsh realities of the world around them. Petrel had long since given up her fiery hatred of this fate the gods had seemingly ordained for their kind. She'd already reserved herself for death, refusing even to have more fledgelings of her own. Shearwater however, was a different story. She refused to leave the child out in the woods and let nature take its course, but she also refused to stop sharing her own rations with the girl. Even with a fledgeling of her own, Petrel had a hard time understanding this mindset, but she knew better than to argue with her sister.

But both females knew that the elders would eventually force their hands. The girl's fate was practically sealed already.

Petrel's young daughter Peregrine, roughly the same age as Shearwater's child, approached cautiously from the other side of the room when her mother began to take too long. She ruffled her small wings, her sandy colored down tied back out of her face with a piece of string. She peered over at her aunt and cousin curiously, "Mama, is Avocet sick?" she asked.

"No, dear, she's fine," Petrel said, forcing a smile, "Why don't you see if you can get her to walk with you?"

Peregrine beamed and hurried around to the other side, shaking her cousin awake. The other girl grumbled a bit in her sleep as she sat up, complying with her cousin's wishes as she grabbed her arm and dragged her to her feet. Avocet moaned weakly, "...Hey Peregrine..." she muttered, obliging to the boisterous girl's demands that she stand up and walk with her.

"Let's go outside!" Peregrine chimed excitedly.

"Be careful!" Petrel called after them. Shearwater started to protest, wanting to stop them from leaving. Instead, she stopped herself, falling silent and staring at the hard, dusty granite floor. Her wings sagged behind her, her dark brown feathers drooping and her long feathered tail swishing listlessly behind her.

"Petrel," she said deadpan, "I had hoped to have her just sleep until she passed away quietly doing so. It...it would be so much more painless for her..."

Petrel put her arm around her sister, trying to comfort her, "I know. But how can we explain that to a precocious little fireball like Peregrine?"

Watching her sister's face pinch slightly told Petrel she'd said the wrong thing, as Shearwater would have traded anything for Avocet to be a precocious little fireball. Here, Petrel was able to gain a brief insight into Shearwater's pain; all this madness, this pressure onto such a young fledgeling placed on her by the elders, and all because of a simple birth defect. Petrel thought of Avocet's abnormally small wings, stunted in growth by complications during her birth and she felt her spirit flare briefly inside of her before dying down once more. It wasn't the girl's fault, and yet she was being punished for it with a slow, torturous death. The latter part was because Shearwater couldn't bring it upon herself to let anyone, _even_ herself end the girl's life quicker. The loss of her sister's mate had been quite a blow, but he'd always been so wise and worldly. Surely he would've had a better idea in mind than what was happening now. But alas, Kalaka had had other plans for him and spirited him and so many others away into whatever realm awaited this one. Petrel knew that the next time she saw a human, she wouldn't be able to resist flaying it alive.

Shearwater was still shaking her head slowly, her eyes dulled from both weakness and despair. Petrel hugged her silently, sighing, "Let her go for now. She can have one last happy dream to end on." she whispered.

/ooo/

"Avocet, come on! You're too slow!"

Avocet scrambled over a steep rock, her toe claws digging into its smooth surface for a foothold. She finally found one, shoving herself up weakly and gasping for air, struggling to placate her starving body. But Peregrine didn't understand her cousin's turmoil, waiting impatiently at the top of the rock and huffing every few minutes. When Avocet finally reached the top of the rock, Peregrine sighed dramatically, "You're way too slow! You should run more!"

Avocet was too weary to argue back, remaining silent as she stared out over the baking desert wastes, her tiny black, downy wings hanging limply at her back. Her eyes cloudy, her skin pasty and sickly, she stood motionless, wanting nothing more than to return to the cavern and to the warm embrace of slumber. Peregrine glanced over at her and frowned curiously, "What's the matter? Huh?"

She moved until she was standing in front of Avocet, peering into her blank face, "Are you hungry? I got some dried meat here...uh...here!" she cried, fishing through her pockets and coming up with a sliver of dried deer meat. She handed this to Avocet, who took it slowly, nibbling delicately on it. Her stomach growled the second she tasted the meat and she bolted it down in a flash without even really tasting its flavor. Peregrine's eyes widened; "I guess you _were_ hungry, Avocet. Mama said you haven't been feeling well. I hope you feel better soon."

The smaller girl nodded once, still feeling the aching gnaw of hunger in her stomach. The edge was gone, but now it seemed that she felt hungrier than ever. She twitched her wings, hunching over slightly from the ache.

"Don't feel like playing?" Peregrine mumbled sadly. Avocet shook her head, making the other girl sigh in disappointment, "That's too bad. I'm so bored right now. I wanted to race."

With a little food in her belly, Avocet was able to think slightly more clearly, looking up at her cousin's dejected face and realizing how badly _she_ had wanted to play with _her,_ just like before. She stepped forward gingerly, minding how weak she still was. She tapped Peregrine on the shoulder, extending her black wings their full three foot span as she grinned weakly; "You're it." she mumbled.

Peregrine's face lit up and she beamed, "You get a head start!"

Avocet turned, jumping down from the rock and landing clumsily, her slightly bent back knees bending to absorb the blow of the fall. She pushed off, hurrying along the granite ledges as she made the best of her miniscule head start. After a few seconds, she heard the delighted shriek as Peregrine slid down the rock too, taking off after her. Avocet cantered at a steady pace, looking for a place to hide. Spying a gap in the cliff side, she squeezed in and crouched in the darkness, holding her breath and her movements as her exuberant cousin sped by. Pulling herself back out, Avocet promptly ran in the other direction, already beginning to pant in her exertion and lack of energy. She jumped down a small ledge, her ankle buckling from disuse. She hissed, snapping her jaws together in irritation as she struggled back to her feet, hobbling out of direct sight as Peregrine came back around the bend. Laughing, she turned around, scanning the jagged terrain with her sharp vision, "I'm gonna get you!" she chimed happily, hurrying up along the ragged trail. Avocet smiled limply as she managed to outwit her cousin this time, picking her way along the ledge about twenty feet off the pathway below leading back into the community cavern. Jumping over a small gap, she beat her wings once to keep her balance, feeling her heart pounding in her chest after going so long just sleeping. Even though she was tiring quickly, Avocet felt a little more alive through this simple game of hide and seek with her cousin. Moving beneath a sheltered outcropping, she crouched, taking a short break and listening for Peregrine's rapid footsteps. She still hadn't managed to track her cousin to the lower levels of the precipice, continuing to hunt for her up above.

"Avoceeeeet!" she called, "Where are you?!"

She stomped around up there angrily, annoyed that she couldn't find her smaller cousin. Her cheeks puffed out in her irritation and her feathers ruffled, "AVOCET!" she snapped.

About ten feet below, Avocet sighed and rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth, emitting a tiny, avian whistle into the air. This caught Peregrine's attention to the lower levels of the precipice and she grinned, "Hah! Gotcha!" she exclaimed, holding onto the ledge and dropping down to a smaller rock below. Directly below them and off to the right was the rocky pathway leading to the cavern, and beside that was a small ravine leading to the underground river that nourished the colony. It was about a forty foot drop. Moving carefully to avoid slipping, Avocet picked her way along the ledge, dislodging rocks and pebbles that clattered down the sides of the cliff and into the ravine. The noise alerted Peregrine to her position and she grinned, "I'm gonna get'cha!" she called. She let go of the ledge with one hand to grab another rock. As she did, the one she held jolted free of its anchor, causing Peregrine to gasp in terror as she was suddenly weightless. She screamed, smacking against the ledge below and her claws scrambling for a hold as she slowly slid toward the edge of the ravine.

Avocet whirled at the sound of Peregrine's distressed cry, bolting forward and snatching her hand before she could slide over the lip of the edge. But Avocet was tiny, her body too light to pull them up. All she could do was dig her claws into the rock and hold on while Peregrine swung below, clutching her hand for dear life and vainly trying to reach one of the rocks jutting out of the side.

"A-Avocet!" she squeaked, "I'm scared! Pull me up!"

The other fledgeling was straining to simply keep them both from plummeting into the ravine and the river below, grinding her teeth in her resolve. However, her claws continued to lose their hold, slowly sliding her forward and pushing her cousin further down, which made her scream again.

The noise drew out several of the adults, including Shearwater and Petrel. As soon as they saw their predicament, Petrel screamed; "Peregrine! Hang on, dear, don't let go!"

She wanted to spread her wings and fly up there to rescue her daughter, but the ledge the girls were hanging from was far too narrow for an adult to manage a safe landing and still hope to snag the two before they fell, dragging their rescuer down with them. Two older males rushed forward, one of them leaping across the ravine to snag the rock wall opposite, digging his talons into the rock to try to meet the girls halfway.

"Hold on!" he yelled.

Avocet could hear the commotion as the adults rushed to try to save them. But with every second, she felt herself sliding closer and closer to the edge, her grip weakening on Peregrine's hand. Her eyes opened and she looked across helplessly to the approaching male Avian, silently begging for help. He'd just about reached them and Avocet willed her hand to hold on for another minute. Peregrine shifted suddenly, trying to reach the male's hand as he reached out to grab them. Her moist palm slipped from Avocet's fingers and the young fledgeling watched in horror as Peregrine slipped silently out of her reach, plummeting toward the ravine below. She never made a sound as she fell, her eyes locked on those of her cousin in disbelief and fear.

The splash as she hit the river was heavy and Petrel started screaming. The other male who had come outside with his brother dove off the edge of the rock and into the water below, vanishing from view for several pregnant seconds. Meanwhile, the male who had been scaling the rock wall managed to get an arm around Avocet, dragging her off the ledge and unfurling his wings, beating them to propel himself backward as he gently glided down to the granite beneath them. Shearwater tore forward and gathered Avocet into her arms, sobbing hysterically as all of her stress, despair and anger bubbled to the surface in a single, uncontrollable wave. Avocet however, remained fixed on the river below as the male who had taken the plunge finally erupted to the surface about thirty feet downriver. Then, he took a breath and went under again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

/ooo/

In the blink of an eye, life can change. For those lucky enough that life favors their existence, their daily trials are often lessened, enabling them to better themselves and the lives of those around them with a lack of tribulation and strife to dog their heels wherever they go.

But for those to whom life turns a blind eye, the challenges can be rough indeed. Going through life with only a vague understanding of why you're being punished when you've done nothing wrong is one of the great injustices of the universe and there are many who die long before they receive an answer. Some say the suffering is payment for mistakes made during a previous existence. Others say that the trials pave the way for a better future. And still others say that your trials are what you make of them, to either overcome or succumb to.

For one young Avian fledgeling, not even old enough to hunt, the trials were just beginning. In the vaguest part of the shock she'd forced her mind into, she could hear someone crying and screaming, pleading with somebody. She felt a hand on her shoulder, firm and intimidating, guiding her along. She hard a sharp voice demanding, followed by an even sharper voice admonishing. More screaming and begging, as that voice began to grow further and further away. Her feet moved automatically, guided by an unseen force. Her mind was hazy. Someone was speaking to her;

 _...You'll need it._

 _Need what?_

 _...head to the...western..._

Her senses were blurry, her eyes unfocused. It was only when the familiar, comforting smell of desert sand and dust finally left her nose, replaced with a strange, musty, strong and unfamiliar scent that she began to wake up slightly. In time to feel the hand leaving her shoulder, she stopped walking and turned, eyes wide as she noticed the elder Condor, his graying wings folded tightly against his back and his very long, matching tail moving elegantly, silently behind him.

"W...Wait!" she called. He stopped, glancing back to her with a dead glaze over his eyes. His graying feathers hung over his eyes, his mouth set in a thin line. Avocet now saw that they were standing at the edge of the Darkling Woods, a thick forest on the outskirts of their remaining territory. Very few Avians dared to come out this far due to the high number of humans living in the area. Behind elder Condor were two other council members, both of them watching her blankly.

"Our guidance has ended for you," Condor told her softly, "You are to make your own way from this point forward."

Avocet took a step forward, "But...I—"

Elder Condor hissed suddenly, causing her to step back fearfully. His feathers had extended above his head, and now they lowered slowly, reaching past his center back. He ruffled his wings, "You are no longer welcome in this territory, fledgeling. Guide your own future by Kalaka's ordainment."

Avocet felt her heart clench up as they began to turn away, heading back to the colony, "But...my mother! My brother!" she cried, "I need to...I need to go back to them! Elder Condor!"

"Do not follow us." Elder Condor barked, "You may not return here."

Avocet stared fearfully, even as she could feel something heavy and unpleasant rising up from the pit of her stomach. She snapped her small wings open, "Why!? What have I done!?" she snarled, her head now feeling faint from the lack of food and this sudden exertion.

"Kalaka has scorned you, fledgeling. Your wings are far too small; you will never fly. You will never protect the clan. Make your own way." Elder Condor said, beckoning his two followers to come with him.

Avocet immediately tried to run after them, but a vicious snarl from one of the others rooted her back to her spot. She tried again, this time with the same result. Forced to stand her ground, she clenched her fists, watching them walk away as she flexed her wings in and out in frustration. She squeezed her eyes shut, her whole body shaking from a new pressure she couldn't even describe. Her eyes snapped open, "You wait, Elder Condor! I'm going back! One day I'll be strong enough to come back and kill you! I will!" she screamed.

They didn't turn or speak. She received no reply to her angry outburst. She thought about trying to follow them back once they got out of sight, but the memory of being snarled at so ferociously made her pause. If she returned to the colony now, she might very well be killed. And aside from being too small to fight, she was also starving. She turned, her head low in exhaustion and dismay as she collapsed against the roots of an enormous tree of some kind. Gazing up into the canopy, she watched the fading sunlight trickle through the branches and a gentle breeze blew leaves down onto her face. Curling up in the dense roots, she directed her gaze back toward home. Deep in her mind, she knew that if she just waited here long enough, her mother would eventually come to find her and bring her home. She just had to survive until then, she thought as her eyelids grew too heavy and began to close.

 _Just...until then..._


	2. Two

Two

Okay. Lesson learned. The red berries with the yellow dots on them were not edible. Or at the very least, not palatable. After retching once and spending twenty minutes or so washing her mouth out at the stream, Avocet sat again by the very fringes of her colony's territory, watching the horizon of the distant desert as she had been doing for a week. Surviving on whatever she could scrounge up from the forest floor, Avocet was still dangerously weak and couldn't move very far from her spot. Besides, even if she could, she didn't want to. She just knew that if she waited long enough, her mother would show up. She _had_ to. Either her mother, or Rail. One of them would show up. What happened hadn't been her fault. Heck, Elder Condor hadn't even said anything about the accident when he left her on the edge of the forest. Peregrine's death was never even brought up, so why was she being punished for it like she'd killed her cousin on purpose? Avocet couldn't figure it out.

She sighed, feeling the breeze ghost through the fluffy down covering her head and trailing slightly into her eyes. She dug her foot claws into the dirt at her feet, raking it up out of boredom. She could feel her stomach rumbling. She hadn't eaten much of anything substantial in several days. She'd gotten lucky one morning and discovered a dead squirrel near the ravine. It hadn't been much, but it had taken the edge off her hunger. Her tiny wings ruffled and she sighed, gazing up into the sky and watching the clouds pass by slowly, drawn by a gentle breeze. Her eyes narrowed, again remembering that she could probably never reach those clouds and find out what they felt like as she soared through them.

A flurry of wing beats drew her attention to the east in the direction of the community. It was a flock of birds flapping off in that direction, completely oblivious of their grounded relative on the ground below. Avocet sighed heavily and stood up, moving into the trees to scrounge for something to eat that she could keep down.

As she moved through the undergrowth, pushing plants and other shrubs aside, she kept her weakened eyes trained on the ground, seeking out anything that looked either edible or familiar. Movement to her right alerted her to a white-tailed deer hightailing it into the trees and she ground her teeth together. She needed to catch something to eat with some actual substance to it. She crept silently through the mossy floor of the forest, her birdlike feet barely making any noise whatsoever. The tiny claws on her thin, bony fingers flexed in and out and she scanned the forest floor carefully. She made up her mind to try to hunt something. If she couldn't catch anything, she'd resort to a patch of mushrooms she'd passed earlier. They tasted bland and soggy, but she'd eaten them before and they didn't hurt her. They would hold her over if she absolutely had to.

She scented the air, trying to pick up a whiff of anything familiar. The scent of smoke met her nose and she pinpointed it in a northern direction, away from the territory. Avocet narrowed her eyes, glancing backward toward the ravine and the direction she knew her mother would come from, but simply hadn't yet.

She wouldn't be gone long. This had been her mindset whenever she left the line of trees skirting the edges of the territory; that she wouldn't be gone long. Just in case, she left a feather on the ground at the base of the tree she'd been using as her bed before darting further off into the forest. Following the smell of the smoke, she would stop and close her eyes now and then, trying to trace the source. She knew enough from her brother venting about humans to her mother to understand that smoke meant humans, which probably meant supplies she could scavenge. At least she hoped so anyway.

The game trail she was using was well worn and easy to follow. Her claws dug into the soft Earth as she moved along it, keeping her eyes trained for anything out of the ordinary. She was dimly aware that the sun was beginning to leave its zenith in the sky above her and the shadows were growing long again. She had plenty of light now, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. She needed to find food, and soon. Hopefully, the human hunters wouldn't be around when she finally found their campsite.

She paused, scenting the air again and finding the smell to be closer. She felt a strange tingling sensation through her scalp at the idea of either food or confrontation with the humans. She wasn't sure which impulse was the stronger of the two. Either way, she knew she was getting closer. Her claws twitched in anticipation. Or adrenaline. Again, she wasn't sure which. For all she knew, she was terrified, but the growling of her empty stomach and the instinct to feed drew her on a straight course. Any adult Avian would have had the knowledge and foresight to be more cautious when approaching an enemy base camp. Avocet had none of those things. At only seven years of age, she was already the size of a preteen human, but possessing only a three foot wingspan, which was small for the Avians at that age, she lacked the experience many of her peers already possessed. The most she could rely on was her raw talent and rage if cornered. She just hoped she wouldn't have to make use of those struggle-bug tactics.

The smell of smoke was now overwhelming to her sensitive nose and the white pupils of her eyes dilated on reflex to pick up as much low light in the forest floor as she could. She emerged from the trees to find a small clearing littered with ferns and moss-covered rocks. A smattering of small tents lay askew on the ground in a semi-circle around a dying campfire surrounded by rocks in a shallow pit in the Earth. A spit had been set up, but nothing was on it yet. Avocet crept forward, tracing the smoke and the metallic smell of blood in the air. She couldn't tell from which animal. She also caught the distinct scent of human close by, but she neither saw nor heard a single individual. She tucked her wings in close to her body, her claws twitching on reflex as she scanned the campsite. Her heart hammered in her chest, her legs coiled to spring at the first sign of danger. She felt an odd tingling that stretched from her forehead all the way to her lower back, but she couldn't figure out why. This time, the only thing she knew was that the sensation wasn't from hunger or anticipation.

Something wasn't right here.

The scent of blood, but no bodies, human _or_ animal. A living campfire, with no one to attend it. A spit set up over the fire, which was in its dying stages from lack of fuel. Tents upended and knocked over.

Ignoring her instincts screaming at her to run, Avocet crept through the camp toward one of the destroyed tents. She crawled beneath the thin canvas, rifling silently through the belongings inside. She found a bag made of similar material to the canvas tent. It was filled with assorted essential camping gear; only a few of which Avocet recognized from the articles and trinkets her brother had brought home. She was familiar with the compass, which she took, the spyglass, which she didn't really need but took anyway, a tin of meat, which she snatched eagerly, and a crusty loaf of bread, which she grabbed disdainfully. She emptied the canvas bag and put her chosen articles into it to carry with her. Everything else, she didn't recognize and left alone. Scrambling out from inside the tent, she moved on to the next one, only to end up with less satisfying results with nothing inside of it. Emerging from the second one, she peered around the camp again, still expecting to see a human come bolting at her with some kind of weapon at the ready to slice her open. The smell of blood was still potent, but it seemed to come from all directions. And that tingling sensation running down her back wouldn't stop. By this time, blood roared in her ears as her heart continued to beat far faster than any human heart and her legs were so tense they were beginning to ache. Avocet was beginning to grow a little worried. It now felt dangerous to be in the campsite, but with no one around, she couldn't for the life of her place as to _why_. Looking up through the trees, she noticed the light beginning to fade already. The sun was now entering its descent. She had about five hours' worth of light left. She picked her way around the dying fire, taking one last look around the camp in case she missed something she should poke through. Her eyes caught a small red box sitting on the edges of the clearing near a little pile of rotting animal bones. She crept over and opened the box with a sharp squeak from the hinges. Inside were various colorful little baubles and bits of string, but she had no idea what these were or how they were used. Digging through them, she searched for anything that seemed useful. She hissed when something sharp stabbed her finger and she yanked a curved metal object out of her skin, sucking the appendage irritably as she tried to stop the bleeding. She continued to rifle through the box with her other hand until she came across a sharp hunting knife. She lifted it out of the box and slid the sleeve off of the blade. It was pretty long, serrated and sharp. It smelled of blood too, but it was clean. It must have been used and then cleaned and put back. She stuck the knife into the canvas bag and stood up, her eyes moving around the clearing. Now she was sure of it; something definitely wasn't right here. However, even as that thought crossed her mind, the tingling feeling shooting up and down her back finally stopped. Her wings relaxed against her back and the tightness left her legs. She felt like she could breathe again.

She yanked the strap of the bag up and around her shoulders, shrugging one wing out from beneath it and folding both behind her. She slowly moved out of the clearing and away from the smell of blood. Even though she felt safe now, for some reason, she knew she couldn't stay around that campsite for long.

Moving back through the trees and farther away from the campsite, Avocet kept her eyes trained on the sky. She was sure she smelled rain now, a pleasant distraction from the blood smell that lingered on her clothing. It hadn't rained in weeks since the dry season began. Perhaps sensing the storm, her mother wouldn't be able to hold herself back anymore and would come out looking for her. Avocet jogged all the way back to her tree by the edge of the ravine with that thought in mind, hoping that it would come true for her.

She sat down in the immense roots of the tree, nibbling on a crust of bread as she waited. She scanned the sky, hoping to see or hear wing beats off in the distance. Her own wings twitched at the thought. She'd already survived over a week out in the wilds on her own. In fact, the bread was the first thing with substance she'd had since before she left. She was trying to wait on opening the tin of dried meat. But she knew that she couldn't stay alive forever out here, especially if she refused to move from the treeline much longer. But a part of her remained convinced her mother was going to come looking for her. As long as that part of her mind was set on it, she knew she had to wait.

What else did she have left?

/ooo/

Three days went by. Avocet kept busy and staved off insanity by teaching herself how to climb trees. Her talons were stronger than she'd figured as they dug easily into the thick bark of her tree, allowing her to gouge her foot talons in as she alternated from one limb to another, slowly gaining altitude on the thick trunk. It was slow going, her hands and feet ached, but she kept at it. It was something to do and it was making her stronger. If elder Condor refused to acknowledge her strength after this, then she gave up. Climbing the tree turned out to be easy, it seemed.

It was the getting down part that she dreaded. She started out trying to go down headfirst, watching some squirrels manage it that way. However a quick reuniting with the ground headfirst taught her that she was probably a bit too uncoordinated for that particular strategy. So she settled with going down feet first from then on, at least until she had a better grasp of what she was doing and more advanced skills to handle it.

She had also been roaming further and further from the tree during the day in search of food. She reasoned with herself that as long as she returned to the tree before nightfall, she was safe. She'd scattered her feathers all over the place there. If her mother showed up, she'd definitely know that Avocet was still in the area.

The Avian juvenile had also taken to watching human hunters who came through. Most of them carried weapons that made horrifying noises, forcing Avocet to keep her distance. But she would sit in trees and watch them as they hunted other animals. Of course, actually applying those skills took a little more time to perfect, and by the eve of her third day after stalking those hunters, Avocet still hadn't managed to even catch a squirrel. Despite her grievances, she'd been forced to turn to the mushroom patch for nourishment.

However quitting wasn't in her plan. Far from it. This thought nudged the back of her mind as she crouched in some thick bushes, watching a rabbit nibble on some grasses in front of her. Mimicking the stance of the hunters she'd seen, she knelt as low as possible, her leg muscles coiled and ready to spring as she eyed what she hoped would be her meal that evening. It seemed that every fiber of her being was now following this tiny rodent; every twitch of the whiskers as it scented the air, every time the ears swiveled, the eyes twinkled in the setting sun. She was aware of all of it. The world had begun to revolve around this one, tiny rabbit.

Avocet licked her lips in concentration as she silently willed the animal to come ever closer to her. She was dying to spring, but she told herself _just three more seconds. Just three more seconds._

Her legs burned from the coiled position for so long, her muscles cramping and her head aching from the exertion, but she held on. The rabbit drew nearer to her and she ducked her head slightly, raising herself up on her haunches by just a fraction. This meal could potentially save her life, keep her going for a few more days. Avians were natural predators. She could only survive so long on a vegetarian diet. She needed meat, and soon.

 _Blam!_

Spooked, the rabbit took off into the bushes and Avocet raised her head up, gritting her teeth in fury and glaring off in the direction of the noise. She recognized the sound of the hunters' weapons discharging somewhere off in the distance. She made a face of disgust and hoped they caught whatever they'd shot at. She hoped it went down fighting, whatever it was.

 _Blam! Blam! Blam!_

Avocet frowned. That was a little more noise than she expected. She wondered what they could be chasing that they had to attack it so many times in rapid succession. She scrambled out of the bush and over to a thick oak tree. She buried her talons into the bark and started climbing, up to the first branch about twenty feet up. If the hunters were headed her way, she wanted to be out of direct sight.

More noise coming from the distance and it seemed to be getting closer. Avocet peered down from her vantage high above the ground, hugging the trunk of the tree to stay as hidden as possible. The sounds were getting louder and she could now hear the screams of the hunters. But these weren't the celebratory whoops they made whenever they brought something down. These were screams of terror. They weren't chasing something, _something_ was chasing _them!_

Avocet curled into a ball on her branch, eyes wide as one of the hunters burst out of the undergrowth and stumbled, falling flat on his face on the forest floor. He was covered in blood, though still moving fairly well. Avocet wondered if the blood wasn't his. He staggered to his feet, moving clumsily over to the tree she sat in, and then on to the next tree a few feet from hers. He tangled his feet up in the thick roots beneath and went down again with a cry, striking his head on one of the roots. Gasping, blood streaming from the cut on his face, he wiped it away and managed to get to his feet a third time.

A piercing, hissing shriek made Avocet jump and her eyes whirled furiously, trying to locate the source before _it_ located _her_. Something black shot through the trees below, almost too fast to follow. But Avocet's eyes locked on and, to her amazement, managed to stay locked on to a strange, black creature, humanoid in appearance but with frightening spines, a lashing tail like an Avian's but much more reptilian, and a gaping maw with saliva dripping ominously from its fearsome jaws. Snarling and screeching, it clawed its way across the forest floor toward its helpless and terrified prey. Avocet watched in horror as it bore down on the unfortunate hunter, grabbing his arm in a crushing hold in its surprisingly thin hands. The hunter continued to scream in fear as the black _thing_ began to drag him away, back in the direction it had come from. Avocet watched until it was out of sight, though the man's terrified screams still echoed through the canopy. Those screams continued to sound off for several more minutes, not cutting off abruptly, but just going on and on, growing fainter and fainter as he was taken further and further away. Finally, though she strained to listen, his screams faded from her ears.

She could feel the cold sweat on her face, the way her talons gouged deep rivets in the trunk of the tree. That tingling sensation was back with a vengeance, coursing down her back like water gushing over her and extending clear into her wings, which had stretched to their full length. Her eyes were wide, her mouth hanging open. She couldn't believe that thing. Real, horrifying, and alive as daylight, she now was coming to terms with the reality that for the last two weeks, she'd been sharing forest space with that horror. She could've been dragged off ay any given time to who knows where by that...that _thing_ , whatever it was. No story her brother had ever brought back came even remotely close to what she had just seen.

Too shaken to move, Avocet stayed in the tree for a long time, just staring at the grooves in the dirt where the man's writhing body had been dragged by that creature. Clawed hands gripping her ankles, tucking her wings in, she gazed blankly at the forest floor below her, knowing at some point she would have to work up the nerve to climb back down and risk running into that thing.

"How long has it been here?" she asked herself aloud. Could she even stay in this part of the forest any longer? She'd been here almost two weeks waiting patiently for her mother to come find her. But after those two weeks and no sign of her, and still not strong enough to venture safely back into the territory, Avocet was starting to lose hope. The elder Condor could have easily gone back and coldly informed her mother that she'd been killed or abandoned to her fate in a human village. If her mother now assumed her dead, then it would explain why she hadn't come for her.

Avocet raised her gaze, staring off in the direction of the colony barely visible through the treetops, the sun streaming through as it began its descent to the west. She flexed her talons, feeling a dull ache in her chest as she came to terms with her reality.

Her mother wasn't coming.

She folded her knees back, terror from that creature and despair at abandonment pooling together and welling up inside of her. Muffled sobs wracked her tiny body as she vented her sadness and frustration. But the part that hurt more than anything was the knowledge that she could no longer remain sedentary. With that unknown horror running loose in the forest, Avocet knew it was only a matter of time until it found her; the heavens knew why it hadn't found her already. Whether her mother came looking for her or not, she knew that she had to leave. She sniffed a few times, wiping her eyes on her sleeve and ruffling the feathers of her black wings. She scooted over to the trunk of the tree, digging her claws in as she began to descend. She did so silently, barely making any sound as she went slower than she'd ever gone before. She hardly even dared to breathe. When her foot touched the ground, it did so gingerly, afraid to step on any leaves or twigs. Her three bird-like toes stood easily, balanced on the soft dirt as she scanned the terrain around her. Even though the sky was still quite light, the forest floor was already very dark. Picking her way along the now familiar trail, Avocet made her way back to her tree. Her canvas bag was still there, along with a few leftover stale scraps of the bread she'd taken and been rationing ever since. They were hard as rocks and not very palatable, but she gulped them down quickly as last-ditch energy for her journey. She gathered the bag up around her shoulders, taking out the knife she'd picked up. She sighed as she took one last look at the roots of the tree that had sheltered her for a fortnight. Reaching around, she took hold of one of her feathers and winced as she yanked it free. She set this down in the roots beneath a rock to hold it. If her mother came by, this was her guiding flag.

Taking one last long look at her former homeland, Avocet adjusted her bag and turned her back on her people, just as they had done her. Tears flowed silently from her eyes as she bid a quiet farewell to her mother and apology to her aunt for what had happened. Then, without looking back again, she disappeared into the trees without a trace.

A/N: I normally like to wait until the chapters have been beta read before posting, but I'm already overdue and my sister is being pokey. So when we finally get around to editing it, I'll make any changes we agree on. Until then, I hope you enjoyed the new update. I'll see you in October, my lovelies! ~Luna


	3. Three

Three

The stream felt good after the long walk. Avocet had trekked through the night without stopping, picking her way steadily through the dense forest and further away from her homeland. And also, hopefully further away from that black demon she saw. All throughout the night, every shadow, every tree, every movement seemed to be a huge black monster come to drag her away to a hellish end. With the welcoming burst of sunlight over the mountains to the east, Avocet felt refreshed and renewed, able to face life again—at least for the next ten hours.

She'd never been this far away from home before. The last migration had taken place before she was born. Since then, migrations to the colony's former summer home further south had become too dangerous. Humans were getting more wily and more aggressive and too few Avians were being born to make up for the sheer numbers who lost their lives in the ensuing battles. Avocet was actually one of the last Avian children to be born in recent years. Many no longer survived.

Avocet waded out into the deeper part of the stream and ducked under the water, coming back up and shaking her wings rapidly to fling off excess water. Her down clung to her head like tree sap, but she didn't care at this point. She was just glad to cool off. She sloshed out of the stream and set about to wringing her clothes out, keeping her peripheral vision open for any danger. She only relaxed at night, and even then, she was on high alert for any and all sounds she heard creeping through the undergrowth during her vulnerable periods. She was exhausted and hungry, but every time she tried to settle for an extended period of time in one place, her thoughts flashed back to the black creature, forcing her to keep moving. Even so, she was tempted to stay around the stream for a few days. A source of fresh water was always handy and she'd seen many animals approach looking for a drink. Plus, there were fish in the stream. While Avocet hated fish, she knew she'd have to give up being picky if she was going to keep surviving out here. She still hadn't managed an actual kill, instead scrounging up bitter greens, insects and scavenging off of carrion she came across. It was disgusting, but she was so hungry now, that she didn't even care.

Sitting on the bank in the warm sun, she allowed the rest of her to drip dry as she gazed out over the area. The stream she'd found ran through a small, sheltered canyon. The banks were made of sandstone and quite warm to the touch, especially after the icy water. There were a few patches of dry scrub grasses growing here and there and served as homes to fast little lizards and insects Avocet had never seen before. She found herself watching them darting in and out of the shadows of the flat rocks lining the ridge of the little canyon.

All appeared to be safe enough here. The canyon was quiet and secluded and Avocet could see the pathway leading back out of it from her position on the bank. Traversing it back wouldn't be hard. It wasn't the easiest path to find from the ridge but once you knew where it was, it was a handy little hideaway. Maybe if she couldn't stay in the canyon any longer, she could remember its location and return every now and then for fresh water. Hopefully by then, she'll have added some hunting skills to her repertoire of daily life.

She sighed, scooting backward until she sat in the shady shadow of a rocky overhang, sheltered from the boiling sun. For the first time in days, she actually felt relaxed. Sure, her stomach was tied in knots from the stress and hunger, but except for that, she felt pretty good. Leaning against the cool shaded rock, she sighed heavily, her eyelids feeling heavier by the second. It was still broad daylight; maybe she could get in a few hours' rest before her hike out of the canyon.

 _Just a few...hours..._

When Avocet opened her eyes again, the sky had gone from a stark blue to a smattering of violets and oranges, and her heart skipped in terror at how long she'd been unconscious for. It had been more than a few hours; she'd slept the whole day! An entire day that could've been spent either moving on to the next location or—

She doubled over as her stomach clawed at her insides, demanding something nourishing. She could have also spent part of that day looking for food of some kind.

She groaned, sitting up with a sigh. She could hear the gurgling of the stream. She stood up, her legs shaking beneath her. Luck had been good to her for the past few days. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to survive, though. She didn't know enough about wildlife survival outside of the things her brother brought home for them. The mushrooms and plants she'd been eating had all been things she'd recognized. She was rapidly running out of such familiar things as she drew further and further away from his apparent hunting grounds. She had thought she would've seen him by this point since he often made tremendously long journeys in search of food and water for them. The unhappy thought crossed her mind that elder Condor had perhaps forbidden him to return to these hunting grounds, or else Rail had believed the story of her death and was reluctant to find her body being picked over by ruthless feathered scavengers.

Her heart felt sick again. She slowly moved toward the stream, intent on placating her parched throat. As she bent down to take a drink, something caught her eye in her peripheral vision. She turned to the left, spying what looked like tracks coming out of the water. They were drying in the evening warmth, but they had been made fairly recently and retained enough of their shape for Avocet to see them. She crept closer. The tracks were large, but she couldn't place exactly which creature they came from. They were too long to be a mountain cat's, and from what she'd seen of that black creature, they were too big to belong to it, either. They certainly weren't hers. Whoever or whatever had made these watery tracks had come by seemingly just moments before she'd woken up.

Something else was strange about the tracks though. Curious, she stood up and stepped into the water, stepping back out again and making her own set of tracks. She was astonished that, while smaller, her tracks made the same movements as the other set! Whatever made these walked on two legs like she did.

Unnerved, Avocet glanced around at the darkening canyon. The solidifying thought that she wasn't alone in this place made her spine tingle. She straightened up, her whole body shaking as she stared into the winding darkness further into the canyon, as if expecting to see something big wandering around back in there. Quietly, she gathered her canvas bag and, ignoring her protesting stomach, headed back out the way she had come through, hoping to avoid whatever had made those huge tracks.

The sky was getting darker. Her clawed feet made the going easier, but her adrenaline served to keep her moving swiftly. Her wings twitched and her eyes struggled to adjust in the low lighting. She already knew she had night vision, but it wasn't very good. It mostly served to help her avoid tripping over things while she walked in the dark.

She froze suddenly at one of the most startling sounds she'd ever heard; a deep, bellowing roar that echoed through the canyon, bouncing off the rock walls and reverberating all around her, making it sound far closer than she knew it probably was somewhere deep in her rational brain. But her rational brain wasn't in control at the moment. Instinct had grabbed a tight hold on her and had her careening out of the canyon, scrabbling up the side of the steep pathway and finally into the scrub bushes surrounding the canyon. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps as she worked her way stealthily through the undergrowth, digging deeper into the thick, prickly bushes to hide herself.

Sharp scraping and dragging sounds behind her had her dropping to her stomach in the bushes and freezing in place, her eyes able to see out beneath the thick, sticky branches. Struggling to calm her breathing, she watched the narrow entrance to the canyon she'd just left, her heart hammering in terror as one of those black demons clawed its way out, shaking its head and snuffling like a wild dog. Thick saliva dripped from its mouth as it gnashed its teeth together, still shaking its head. It stood up on its hind legs, appearing to scout the terrain as it did. Avocet held her breath, listening to the blood rush through her ears; had that roar she'd heard come from _that_ thing?!

The creature's long, flexible tail lashed behind it as it turned its head to look back into the canyon. It made a series of sharp, hissing grunts and, rearing up again, began to walk slowly in Avocet's direction. She froze, eyes wide and hand covering her mouth as she tried to stay as still as possible. Saliva continued to pour from the creature's mouth and as it got closer, she could see that it appeared to have no eyes. Even with her lack of experience with the dangers of the world, Avocet knew enough to understand that this thing probably had a superior sense of smell. She could only watch with baited breath as it drew nearer and nearer to her position. She knew she couldn't outrun it, nor could she fight it. Her knife was in her canvas bag around her neck. She'd never reach it in time. She doubted her tiny, underdeveloped claws were strong enough to even scratch that thick skin.

Snuffling and chuffing at the ground, the creature appeared to be following her scent, as it was dangerously close to the exact trail she'd followed to enter the scrub bushes in the first place. Casting a quick glance around, she saw a narrow tunnel to her left through a patch of thorns, probably a game trail used by small animals. Looking back at the creature, who continued to snuffle little puffs of dirt into the air, still a short distance away, Avocet started to shift silently toward the little tunnel. Moving slowly, but steadily, taking care to make as little noise as she could, she first carefully worked the canvas bag off from around her shoulders, ditching it for now. If she survived this, she could retrieve it later. Scooting along on her stomach, she pulled herself along by digging her claws into the dirt, her eyes trained on the tunnel. If she could just make it in, her best bet would be on the creature finding the mouthful of thorns it would receive in the chase diminishing its enthusiasm for small prey like her.

Just a few more feet. She could hear the snuffling now above her and flinched as a glob of drool plopped down on the ground beside her hand. Her skin went cold as she realized it was directly above her and chanced a glance upward. Standing on two legs, it stood above the scrub bush, head swiveling this way and that as if scanning the immediate area. Saliva continued to drip from its jaws, its mouth curling back to reveal a frightening set of teeth. Avocet was amazed it hadn't seen her yet, but it was only a matter of time.

She reached out for the mouth of the tunnel, adrenaline pumping through her veins and tempting her to move faster. Her eyes went wide as she realized she was just about there. Her other hand went up to grab a root jutting out from the ground for better leverage.

 _Crack!_

She froze, her heart pounding in horror; that wasn't a root, it was a branch that had gotten stuck in the bushes. She'd just dislodged it!

A chilling hiss sounded from above her and she barely managed to duck forward as the long black head crashed down into the bushes, shrieking and thrashing as it snapped its gaping mouth toward her. Avocet scrambled forward into the thorny tunnel, ignoring the way the thorns gouged her skin and scraped along her face. Turning onto her back as she kicked herself backward and further into the tunnel, she watched that terrifying jet black head enter the tunnel after her, opening its mouth. She shrieked when a second mouth shot out of the first one, latching onto her ankle and then ripping backwards, taking a chunk of skin and scales with it. She hissed in pain, continuing to scoot backward until she was out of its reach. She watched in alarm as it retreated from the tunnel and began moving around the thorn bush, still visible to her from the inside. It growled viciously and thrust its head down into the bush, retreating sharply with a shrill squeak. Grumbling ominously, it tried this tactic again, with similar results. Each time, small scratch marks would appear on its face as it continued to try to reach her from different angles. Avocet curled into a ball inside the bush, shaking uncontrollably, but strangely unable to scream out her fear. She just continued to watch her possible Death lunge into the bush again and again, but unable to get to her without stabbing itself in vicious thorns.

Avocet had no idea what sort of patience this thing had, or even if it would decide she wasn't worth the effort. The sounds of its growls and chilling shrieks continued to pulse through her, sending shivers down her spine at their otherworldly sound. Still shaking, unable to fight or run, she curled tighter into a ball and wondered if this was it for her.

Suddenly, there was a sharp whizzing sound above her head and something smacked hard into the creature, sending it flying sideways away from the bush. Avocet sat up, disbelieving as the creature rolled to its feet, its attention now distracted on something coming up the path. Avocet tried to follow its line of sight, but she saw nothing approaching. Another white hot blast surged forward and collided with the creature, which shrieked and staggered on its feet, falling to its side in a heap on the ground.

Avocet decided not to stick around to greet her savior. She scrambled back through the thorns into the scrub bush and grabbed her canvas bag. Turning, she crawled fiercely back through the tunnel, listening to the dreadful sounds as the black demon appeared to have met something in battle. The sounds of the scuffle were quite clear and quite close. Every time it let out that deafening hiss, it went right through her and she shuddered.

The thorn tunnel opened onto a game trail heading further down the valley along a dried riverbed. Without looking back at the battle behind her, Avocet took the steep rocks two at a time on her feet, amazed at how steady she was despite her terror and the blood streaming from her injured leg. Another white hot blast rocketed above her head and crashed into the rock cliffs above her, sending rocks and dirt plummeting down. She gasped and leaped off to the side, narrowly avoiding being struck with heavy boulders that had become dislodged from their perches. Pure instinct and adrenaline guided her now as she picked her way along what appeared to be a dried up riverbed below the ridge where she could hear the battle sounds dying away behind her. Even when she could no longer hear anything, she continued to run, her legs easily carrying her over the tough terrain.

Whatever had attacked that creature, she owed it big time. Although she highly doubted it would survive that fight, she was still grateful. The sounds of the battle had now faded completely as Avocet hunkered down in a small rocky alcove to tend to her injury. With the adrenaline wearing off, the pain was now shooting up through her leg in spastic paroxysms, and she ground her teeth. She'd never been hurt this badly before. She had to admit, she was scared now. She tore the worn, ragged fabric of her tunic until she had a jagged strip and carefully wrapped it around her bleeding ankle. Now she had a problem; if it became infected, she'd be in serious trouble. And worse, judging from the familiar thundering roar that suddenly echoed through the valley, if that thing's sense of smell was as good as she suspected it to be, she was now leaving an absurdly easy trail for it to follow. Glancing back over her shoulder, she shuddered, her expression faltering, "Guess you didn't make it. Thanks for trying." she whispered bitterly. She turned, knowing her small lead wouldn't last very much longer. She had to find help, and soon. If her leg became infected, she was buzzard food.

Before she got very far, she removed the knife from her bag, gripping the handle tightly in her small hand as she trudged forward. She could feel the blood seeping through the crude bandages. Already they were becoming ineffective. Weakened from hunger, stress, and now blood loss, Avocet all but gave herself over to her instincts, searching for a safe place, any safe place in the vast wilderness she was now forced to call her home. The tingling shooting down her back had returned again and now, she equated this feeling with danger. The creature was on her trail once again and her breath began to puff in short, frequent gasps of terror. She chanced a look behind her, back up the steep slope where she'd dove in following the black demon's encounter with some kind of foe. Her heart leaped into her throat at the sight of the black demon scrambling down the incline, face in the air and scenting its surroundings. It let out a thick chuffing noise and Avocet knew it had caught the smell of her blood in the air. Panic threatened to grip her in its jaws as she made a beeline for the trees, ignoring the constant sting of her ankle as pressure forced more blood out. Now it was seeping through the bandages, dripping on the ground and alerting the whole world of her presence in that forest. Jumping from rock to rock, her eyes looked up and spotted a soft orange light on the horizon. It was now very late out, the sun having nearly completely dipped behind the western hills. Avocet knew this glow meant a human village was nearby and she was now faced with a dire choice; turn and accept the creature's challenge, or seek out her sworn nemesis for shelter and safety. Before she even had a chance to make up her mind, she was suddenly plowed into from behind and sent hurtling down onto the rocks, slipping between two large ones and hitting the hard earth below. Clutching her head, blinking the stars out of her eyes, Avocet looked up to see a shape blacker than darkness appear in her vision, leering down at her hungrily. Saliva poured from its mouth around her as it lowered its head in to snap at her face. Avocet shrieked, ducking aside as the bizarre second mouth shot toward her, gouging into the dirt where her face had been seconds before. That strange black crest on its head kept it from fully entering the space as it lashed viciously at her again and again. The creature snaked an arm down through the hole, grabbing at her viciously as she strained her neck away from its hold, fumbling desperately for the knife which had dropped beside her somewhere when she fell. The creature's sickeningly thin fingers scraped her face and hovered for a second, and Avocet momentarily gave into instinct and lashed her head around, snapping her jaws around the creature's hand. It shrieked and snarled in shock and pain as it hopped backwards, hissing its anger and frustration as this tiny little target proved to be a little more a handful than anticipated. Determination renewed, it returned to the gap between the rocks, shoving its head down in as hard as it could to reach the Avian trapped beneath.

Avocet's hand finally grasped the handle of the knife and she pulled it around, unsure of how much damage it would do to this thing. The snapping, gnashing jaws just inches from her face, saliva spraying everywhere from the creature's furious snapping movements, Avocet turned the knife in her hand and pulled her arm to the side, wrenching it forward and jamming the blade into the creature's neck as it lunged for her.

The creature let out a bloodcurdling scream, withdrawing from the hole and tearing the knife from her hands as it writhed in agony, sickly yellow blood slithering from the wound where the knife remained buried, trapped and slowly appearing to melt upon contact with the blood of the creature, further sealing it within the demon's black skin. Avocet stared in amazement and horror at this spectacle, noticing how the blood appeared to be corroding the knife stuck in the creature's flesh. Blood from the wound had sprayed onto her and she was vaguely aware that her skin singed and burned upon contact, but by this point, she was somewhat in shock at all she'd been through and only barely registered the pain.

Screaming in agony, the black demon seemed to forget about the little Avian female as it took off down the riverbed, trailing yellow blood as it went and vanishing into the trees, melding with the darkness. Avocet lay on her back, taking slow, uneven breaths as her mind struggled to process the fact that yes, she was still alive and yes, she'd just successfully defended herself from being eaten by a denizen of the fiendish underworld. She was covered in dirt and demon spittle, but she was still breathing.

Her body shaking nearly uncontrollably, she picked herself up slowly, grasping the rocks for balance as she got to her feet, her legs trembling so badly that she almost fell again. Her wings sagged against her back, her whole body aching from the stress and near fatalities of battle.

 _Now_ , instinct took over completely. Abandoning the canvas bag, she slowly began moving down the riverbed toward the light in the distance, no longer thinking, no longer caring. All that mattered to her instincts was finding safety and shelter. The fears of running into the creature were almost nonexistent now as she plodded slowly through the trees, her deadened eyes fixed on the soft glow that was getting steadily brighter as she got closer. When she finally reached the edge of the forest and her eyes settled on a cracked and broken road leading to a bright yellow sign that ended at the trees, she collapsed on the ground as her knees buckled beneath her, her wings beating on instinct and reflex to lift her up before sagging back down. Her world spun in her eyes and her eyelids were winning the fight to close as they slowly darkened her vision, the last thing she saw being the single lit light post at the end of the cracked, weed infested street.

 **A/N: Kind of a shorter chapter, but I don't want to drag them out too much. I've already about finished this story. At the very least, I've reached the 200 page mark so I'm making good progress. And for those of you reading and wondering, there will be another book connected to this one. Don't know what I'll call it yet.**

 **By the way, I want to do a shout out recommendation for another story. Make sure to read K'Shai's _Alien Vs Predator: Annihilation_ and its sequel _Predator: Darkness and Light_. Annihilation is probably the most epic THING I have ever read. Masterfully told and paced. The sequel also features mindbogglingly well constructed physiology on the Predators and I've acquired K'Shai's permission to feature this biology in my own story. When it eventually comes up, I'll recommend these stories again, as well as how you people desperately need to read them. So, like usual, if you liked, leave a review and I'll answer. So, I'll see you in November, my lovelies! **

**~Luna**


	4. Four

Four

No one was ever going to believe this. Of this, he was certain. Even with his mask recording the entire thing right in front of him, he _still_ didn't believe he'd actually witnessed it. He was almost afraid to even report back on this most absurd sighting. He hadn't ventured out with the intent to find anything more unusual than what already lived on this planet, but the sight of a _kiande amedha_ running loose in a nearly uninhabited terrain that allowed for full on combat was a jewel of a hunt he simply couldn't pass up. He gave chase, already enjoying the rush that the anticipation sent flooding through his system as he went into full hunting mode, all of his senses trained on his target as it moved swiftly through the dry, parched forest at the edge of the large desert. He had watched the black creature take out five human hunters, inexperienced civilians no doubt from the way they continued to miss their target with those primitive weapons they appeared to favor. He'd been hit by those before and while it stung and mildly annoyed him, those things they called 'bullets' were ultimately quite ineffective against the _kiande amedha_. Their hides were simply too tough for the little metallic orbs to pierce. The black creature's only true soft spots were the underside of the neck and the belly. Everything else was fairly well armored, making them perfect challenges. Their speed, moderate intellect, power, aggressiveness, and ferocity made them exceptional prey and a welcome challenge from the more or less boring scouting mission he'd been sent on. Yes, he was supposed to be monitoring this area on suspicion of the appearance of a Queen, but he hadn't seen anything much out of the ordinary thus far. He doubted he was going to, either.

That is, at least, until he saw something even _he_ didn't fully believe.

Earlier in the evening, he'd dropped down into a shallow canyon to drink from a stream that flowed through it. When he'd taken his mask off, he noticed an _ooman_ juvenile laying asleep beneath a rocky overhang several meters away. Initially, he found it a bit strange, since from his experience, juveniles rarely ventured from the close sight of their parents or family groups. To see one out alone in the wilderness was an oddity on its own. However, he dismissed it and, upon quenching his thirst, headed off deeper into the canyon, following the trail of the _kiande amedha_ he'd seen duck in there earlier. Upon catching up to it and receiving a well-timed strike to the face from its claws, thankfully blocked by the mask, the creature had dodged him swiftly and taken off back through the canyon, leaving him there to vent his frustrations. It hadn't been hard to track it down again, since it had made his job easier by getting distracted by prey hiding in the foliage on the ridge above. Engaging it had been a pleasure, and it easily left its prey to escape as it turned its rage onto him. It took a few shots from the _sivk'va-tai_ , which ended up blasting half of the cliff down into a dried up riverbed running down the mountain, but he'd successfully brought down the beast.

However, as he'd begun to inspect it for trophies to collect, that unmistakable shriek met his ears and he realized there was another one close by. He'd been a little bit irritated by that thought, and knew he had to take down this one too. He was starting to believe that the Queen had probably been killed long ago and these were rogue drones trying to eke out a living on this mountain. This new one sounded as if it had picked up something interesting. He descended the riverbed, weapons at the ready as he scanned the terrain for his prey. He found it easily enough, attacking something lodged between some rocks in the riverbed. Kneeling, he zoomed in on the creature, curious about what it was trying to catch.

Suddenly, a hand shot up from the crevice and plunged what appeared to be a blade of some kind into the soft flesh of the neck of the _kiande amedha_ , making it screech in pain and stagger back away from the rock. Even from his distance, he could see the corrosive blood beginning to melt the blade. Weakened and severely wounded, the creature had darted off into the trees and he saw what had made such a devastating wound to such a powerful beast finally emerge from the hiding place.

He about lost his balance on his perch when that young _ooman_ he'd seen earlier crawled out from the rocks, noticeably shaken and battered, but alive _and_ victorious. Astounded, he zoomed in on her to see her better, changing the focus on his mask to make out her outline. However he was still too far away to get a clearer image. He could see that there was something odd about her though, and for such a youngling to injure one of the _kiande amedha_? He had to admit, his curiosity was piqued.

Activating the cloak, he vanished from obvious sight, moving steadily down the riverbed after the young female. He was far too curious now to just ignore her like before. Perhaps she'd do something else interesting.

He followed her from a cautious distance, keeping about twenty paces behind her at all times and taking care to walk quietly. However, as she paused to slump against a tree, he realized he needn't have bothered. The young female was extremely weak and quite pasty in color. His mask detected abnormally low levels of body heat radiating off of her. She was almost too cold to detect. He didn't need his mask to smell the blatant scent of blood coming from a wound in her leg. Even despite that and her obvious disadvantages, he found he was even more impressed by her accomplishment. Nearly every _ooman_ he'd encountered had either cowered in fear at the sight of the _kiande amedha_ , or else tried to fight and failed quite miserably. A few had managed some decent hits and one had even successfully killed one. He himself had only attained Blooded status about five seasons past, but he came to this place often to hunt the bipedal creatures, finding them to be entertaining prey. To see an _ooman_ juvenile, and a female _ooman_ juvenile no less, usually known for being weaker than their male counterparts, achieve such a skillful victory at so young an age was truly something special.

He had been thinking about what he'd just witnessed, when he heard a soft noise like something falling down. He glanced over at the young female and was only slightly surprised to see she'd collapsed from exhaustion on a cracked and broken road outside of a small _ooman_ village. If he was going to be honest, he had expected her to go down at some point. He approached cautiously in case she should awaken, but he could see she was going to be unconscious for quite some time after all of this. He knelt beside her, inspecting her up close. He removed his mask, disconnecting the hoses to the side and holding it in one hand as he studied her.

His eyes widened. Those appendages on her back resembled those of the feathered flying animals he often saw on this planet. They resembled creatures of other planets he'd visited at different times as well. He'd heard _oomans_ call the Earthen creatures 'birds'. He raised a clawed hand and slowly reached out to nudge one of the appendages folded limply at her back, covered in inky black, soft feathers. He fondled one of the feathers delicately, cocking his head to the side. He'd never seen anything like this up close. Actually, now that he thought about it, he'd never seen an _ooman_ with appendages like these before, either. He had to admit, he liked the texture of the feathers. They were soft, but clearly strong. If those wings were a little bigger, he had no doubt she could probably use them for functioning flight as the birds did.

The more he studied her, the more surprised he became. Her hands weren't like normal _ooman_ hands; they were clawed, just like his. The claws were tiny, but then she was only a youngling. She had strange feet, too. They were long, thin, covered in gray scales and had only three toes, also clawed and also resembling a bird's feet. She had a fourth toe further up around her ankles, close to where the _kiande amedha_ had taken a bite out of her leg. He could see the wound was finally beginning to clot and close. He raised the comp attached to his wrist and fiddled with it for a few minutes, typing in some keys in his native language. He waited while it searched its databanks, keeping his peripheral eye on the street and forest just in case.

Finally, he got his answer; class, family, and phenotype of this particular creature, as described by notable characteristics and observations revealed...nothing. He had no information on winged _oomans_. He tried again with different combinations of keywords and still nothing. The databanks had no information on a creature like the young female lying out cold in front of him. He grunted in annoyance and refocused his gaze on the young female. His eyes narrowed when he realized he might be dealing with a new species, or else a mutation of some kind. His curiosity was now fully piqued. He had several days before he had to submit a return report, but he had a little time to spare to explore a bit. This new creature was fascinating; so powerful at such a young age. He decided he wanted to observe her a little longer. Perhaps she'd make a decent trophy to add to his collection. There was normally a set of guidelines he and his kind followed regarding their kills. It was more or less unspoken and unwritten, but followed diligently by many of the warriors; do not kill anything that couldn't or wouldn't fight back or was unarmed, do not kill younglings, and do not kill any females with child. Even with those limitations, there was still plenty of prey left for them to choose from. In the case of this new creature, he had to wonder why the computer had no data on them. He didn't think it should be hard to track down information on a winged _ooman_ with claws and bird feet. He'd certainly never seen anything like that on any of the planets _he'd_ been to.

It hit him then, another option. He mentally cursed this one, as this was yet another guideline his people followed, but one that didn't appear frequently enough to cross their minds a lot of the time. He huffed a heavy sigh; it was always a possibility that this creature's population was too low to be noticed, making her a heavily endangered creature. Another unspoken rule; don't hunt anything on the verge of extinction. This one was more common sense than anything resembling a rule. After all, if you hunted something to extinction, then you lost the thrill of hunting it. This created a very selective list for his kind in regards to their prey.

He focused on her again. He'd have to see with this one. If she was a youngling, then no doubt she had family somewhere. This meant that a population existed. If she proved interesting enough, he might still have the opportunity to hunt her. He judged from her size that she was about midway to adulthood, not to mention she clearly had the raw skill and determination to defend herself. He'd simply observe her for a day or so, see what she did, if anything. Injuring that _kiande amedha,_ and such a grave injury at that, one that might ultimately kill it in the short run, had already heavily impressed him. He'd already dedicated half a rotation to this young female, so he felt compelled to find out more.

Now to the matter of the present. He stood up, scanning the street for heat signatures. He'd visited this general area before when the _kiande amedha_ had first started appearing. During his first visit, his mission had been to confirm the theories and bring back proof. He'd quite enjoyed that mission. But if his extensive memory served him correctly, he remembered this _ooman_ settlement to be much livelier than this. He remembered more light for one thing. The sheer lack of light and heat signatures was a little disconcerting. He wondered if the population of _kiande amedha_ living here was larger than he'd expected. That was a distinct possibility considering he'd already run into two during a single rotation. And with that many running around, if a Queen didn't exist currently, it would before too long. One of the drones would eventually morph into a Queen and begin producing eggs. But even with his kind's advancement and prowess, there was still no way to predict which drone would evolve into a Queen. In the meantime, more and more living organisms would become food for the _kiande amedha_ still running around. But even considering the possibility of an outbreak happening again, something still wasn't right. If the entire population of this settlement had fallen prey, there should be many more of those beasts running about. In fact, he and the young female should already have been ambushed by this point. This thought made him replace his mask to his face, foregoing the air hoses. He began to scan the forest behind him with a different setting in case those creatures were planning such an assault. He saw nothing. He removed his mask again and looked up at the sky. The atmosphere of this planet was rapidly becoming very unstable. It was always a possibility that the _kiande amedha_ living here would have become sickened or perhaps even mutated in this deteriorating atmosphere. If the latter happened, only Paya knew what sort of biological changes they were experiencing in their daily existences. The _oomans_ living on this planet had proven over the years to be capable of enduring insurmountable changes and likely didn't notice the changes on their world. But otherworldly creatures certainly would.

Glancing down at the young female, he rumbled in thought, the sound reverberating through his chest. He looked around again. He was reluctant to leave her there, for a multitude of reasons, all of them included her being hunted by something else. He didn't need to return to the ship for a while yet, so there was no danger of missing his scheduled return time (not that they'd leave without him of course)

This planet's star wouldn't rise for some time, yet. He stood a silent, motionless vigil for a while, scanning the empty settlement every now and then for moving heat signatures. The entire region had been segregated for monitoring for the presence of a Queen. At the very least, he needed to confirm the absence of life in the area.

He turned suddenly, the bristles on his forehead standing on end. His mask was picking up an approaching heat signature, and by the appearance of it, it was bipedal. It could only be an _ooman_ ; the _kiande amedha_ didn't give off signatures. He cloaked himself quickly and stepped back several feet, watching to see the normal _ooman's_ reaction to the winged female on the ground.

A small female _ooman_ came around the corner, picking her way along the broken and cracked street with a twisted branch she'd picked up in the forest. She had her mane of long yellow hair tied back out of her face, a thick piece of cloth wrapped around her neck against the night chill. It was very dark and she didn't seem too curious about the pathway leading to the edge of the trees. He couldn't stay here for much longer; he had to run a sweep of the area to check for more _kiande amedha_. Watching her, he chuffed once, just loud enough to catch her attention toward that direction. He stepped back even further, the cloak hiding him from her view. She looked around warily, her eyes wide with caution, "W-Who's there?" she stammered.

His mask picked up her words and recorded them, translating them roughly for him. She was sending an inquiry to his presence. He couldn't very well answer her, now could he? He remained in the shadows, not moving an inch as she drew nearer to the winged female on the ground.

"What's this?" she whispered, her eyes catching sight of the young female on the ground. He drew back even further as she knelt down before her. He watched her eyes grow even wider at the sight of the wings, her hand flying to her mouth as she staggered back in terror. His eyes narrowed watching this. Clearly, this wasn't normal to the _oomans_ either. He wondered vaguely if she would kill the young female, and wondered even more vaguely if he should intervene in such a circumstance.

However, the older female seemed to get over her fear and approached again, kneeling down and gently touching the soft wings. She examined the creature carefully and seemed to make up her mind. He watched as she pulled the young female closer, lifting her limp form into her arms and straightening up. Glancing around again, as if checking to see if she were being watched and finding nothing, the older female moved off down the street, into the darkness. He watched her leave, tempted to see where she would go. But he ignored this impulse, instead moving off into the trees. He'd track down the young female later for further observation and possibly to hunt. In the meantime, he had work to do.

 _ **Terminology:** _

_kiande amedha:_ hard meat

 _ooman_ : human

 _sivk'va-tai_ : plasma caster

 **Very short chapter this time indeed, yes. However I wanted to get it out as a Halloween present for my lovely readers. So yes, four chapters in and the Predators finally make their appearance. Now, I did want to point out that while this is a crossover series, the crossover hasn't actually started yet. Avocet is a creature of my own creation. Considering I'm doing fairly well in terms of progress, I may begin to update more frequently. But good reviews certainly keep my morale boosted and my ambition to write flowing. I'd also like to recommend another book series, one that I'm actually editing. 'The Hunt Begins' by Inkaholic4U. Very good alternate telling of the first AvP movie. Comes highly recommended. So, until the next update, my lovelies!**

 **~Luna**


	5. Five

Five

Avocet awoke, weak, limp, and in pain, but alive. She also felt warm. Too warm. She opened her eyes, trying to figure out where she was. The sky was now brown and smelled of pine trees. She was covered in something soft, but that she couldn't identify. It felt familiar to her own clothing, and smelled strange.

Sitting up, she looked around. She was inside what appeared to be a room of some kind, though just what kind, she couldn't be sure. Everything appeared to be made of wood.

Her heart skipped in terror as she realized she was in a human dwelling! How had she gotten here? _When_ had she gotten here? She remembered passing out on that street after leaving the forest. She'd been attacked and...what else? She couldn't remember. She could have sworn she felt someone touching her sensitive wings, but she couldn't remember anything after that black demon had attacked her.

She scrunched her eyes shut, running a hand through the down on her head. The action soothed her and she continued scratching her head until she felt better. She fluffed her wings, and her eyes sharpened as she looked around. She had to get out. She couldn't stay where humans were; not after what they'd done to her father and the rest of her clan over the years. She was leaving!

She got out of the bed and moved around the room, trying to find a way out. She tried the window, but there was a thick wooden bar slung across it, barring it from opening. It was too high for her to reach. The only other entrances were the door and what appeared to be a fire pit with a hole leading through a rocky tunnel and out through the roof. She could probably climb that like she did trees.

She headed over to the fireplace poked her head up into the opening. It was dark; she couldn't see the end. But she could smell fresh air wafting down through it so she knew it led outside. She crawled inside and straightened up, reaching out and digging her claws into the mortar covering the stones. These were much tougher than trees and her claws kept sliding. She braced herself with her feet as she ground her teeth, dragging herself up, dislodging smaller stones as she went. Pushing against the opposite wall with her back, smashing her wings slightly, she continued to ascend a little higher until she was almost at the top—when she discovered the opening was too small to fit through. She couldn't get her shoulders through it. She ducked back down to try again and her claws slipped on the slick stones. She screamed as she dropped back down in the soft pile of ashes, scattering dirt and debris everywhere with a tremendous puff of smoke. She was too busy coughing and hacking to notice the door fly open and someone rush in. It was only when that person started laughing uncontrollably that she finally noticed she was being watched. She shrieked and jumped back with a hiss, flaring her wings out and baring her claws.

"O-Oh dear, I'm s-sorry!" the person choked out, "I...I heard a noise and I thought it was one of those things, but...it was just you! Oh my, you're c-covered in soot! I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing, but it's hilarious! I really _am_ sorry."

Avocet blinked a few times, looking up at the human standing in front of her. As the dust settled, she became able to see her more clearly. She was tall and thin, and didn't appear incredibly healthy. Her hands were thin and bony and she was missing two fingers on one hand. Her voice was scratchy behind the melodious laugh. Her long pale blond hair was tied back behind her in a stringent braid held together with bits of string and she wore a thick cowl about her neck against the chill outside. Even despite her friendly appearance, Avocet remained cautious, backing away from her suspiciously. The woman noticed her discomfort and sighed, ceasing her laughter, "Sorry. I just really needed that laugh." she said with a shrug, "I'm Maria. This is my home. Er, what's left of it, anyway."

She gestured around her slightly, her face apologetic and amused all at once. She looked back at the young Avian, "Forgive me for startling you. I found you out all alone on the pavement last night on my way home from visiting my sister. I bandaged your leg for you."

Avocet frowned and then looked down at her ankle; a thick piece of cloth was wrapped tightly around it and the bleeding had finally stopped. It still hurt, but not excruciatingly so like before. She could put her weight on it at least.

"Those creatures are terrible, aren't they?" Maria said softly, "I'd recognize that bite anywhere. They've driven everyone out of this region. Only a few of us remain."

Avocet glanced at her, her expression filled with both mistrust and curiosity, creating a morbid fascination. But she didn't say anything. Maria smiled and sighed, "I guess it's stubborn loyalty to this place. It's kinda hard to leave a place your great-great-granddad built. The house is nice, even though I can't really manage it by myself anymore, not with these hands."

She held up her hands for emphasis. Avocet could see that aside from her right hand missing two fingers, they were also riddled with scars and burns.

"My own incompetence, sadly," she said with a sheepish laugh, "I can't hammer a nail to save my life, though it can't be said I didn't try. And thanks to the boards over the windows and a sturdy canning basement, I've managed to outlive most of my neighbors. My sister, her husband, and I are the only ones still living in this place."

Avocet wondered why the woman was bothering to tell her all this as she moved around the room, checking the windows and eventually the fireplace, peeking beneath it to make sure none of the stones had clattered loose. She glanced at Avocet and chuckled, "And you look like you've been through a war, kiddo. Want some water to clean up?"

Avocet's skin bristled at the thought of a human touching her and she shrunk in on herself, glaring at Maria. The woman seemed to notice and nodded once, "I see. I'll get you some and you can take care of it on your own." she said. She left the room a moment, allowing Avocet to process her situation. The door had been left open and she could see a long, narrow hallway branching off into a few different rooms through the opening. Her wings twitched out of curiosity and she felt the tingling feeling increase as she stood up to get a better look. She didn't hear anything out of the ordinary. She crept forward and leaned against the door frame, her sharp eyes boring through the darkness as she studied the hallway Maria had gone down. There were no lights, so she must have been navigating it by memory.

She didn't dare step out, not when the tingling shooting down her back was so intense. Just the thought of being inside a human dwelling was enough to make the down on her head stand on end. Approaching footsteps made her retreat back into the room, sitting down in the corner and folding her legs back beneath her. Maria reappeared with a bowl of water and a rag. She set these on the floor in front of Avocet and then moved to sit cross-legged on the bed, far away from her. Avocet watched her warily and slowly reached for the water and the cloth. She continued to watch Maria even as she soaked the rag in water and washed the soot from her face and arms. She also tried to wipe down her tunic and her wings, all while keeping a close eye on the human who stared into space, apparently deep in thought and not paying attention to her.

"Pretty wings." Maria said suddenly, startling the Avian. Her eyes shot over to her accusingly, but Maria didn't appear to notice. She just smiled sadly, "They're a nice color. I bet you can't even see them at night."

Avocet didn't reply, watching her from the corner of her eye as she continued to scrub her left arm as something to distract her. Maria sighed, "So, were you born that way or are you with those black creatures?"

At the mention of the black demons, Avocet hissed and ruffled her feathers, unconsciously clutching her ankle as she glared toward the opposite wall. Maria giggled, "Well, I guess that answers my question," she said, "So with that, I'm guessing you're one of the Avians. I'd heard of your kind before, but no one has seen any of you in years. Decades to be exact."

At this, Avocet turned, eying the woman curiously. Maria nodded, "My grandfather once brought us a corpse of a winged human. Or at least we thought it was a corpse, until it came back to life and killed him right in front of us. Oh, don't worry, I don't hold it against you." she said quickly when she saw Avocet's face darken in suspicion, "Honestly, granddad should have known better than to mess with a creature he'd never seen before. In any event, it isn't like it matters much now. I'm probably not going to be around much longer to see anything else progress," she said, changing the subject abruptly. She shifted so she sat against the wall with her knees folded up, "I may end up accepting Yutani's offer. They've come by repeatedly offering to buy this house and my sister's house and relocate us. I guess they want to quarantine the area. Not that I blame them."

She started laughing suddenly, "I'm sorry, dear, I guess I'm just so starved for conversation that I'm rambling on and on. You haven't told me your name yet. Do you want to?"

Avocet simply shrunk in on herself again, her eyes still casting a wary gaze on Maria. The woman sighed, "Well, all right. But I need to call you something. Lets' see...hmm...how about Michelle? Do you like that name? At least until you feel ready to tell me yours. How about it?"

Avocet didn't really care. She wasn't about to give a human the satisfaction of knowing her name.

"Michelle it is. Incidentally, that was my daughter's name. You don't look much like her, but I don't think she'd mind if we borrowed her name." Maria said, chuckling. She stretched and stood up, "Well, I don't have much, but you look like you haven't eaten anything in days. Want something to eat, Michelle?"

Avocet continued to frown at her, but the prospect of eating something had lowered her guard slightly. Even so, she told herself not to touch anything prepared by this human. She needed to wait until Maria fell asleep so she could escape as soon as possible.

"Come on," Maria said, "If it'll make you feel better, you can watch me make it."

She smiled bemusedly while she said it, clearly picking up the hostile vibes of the Avian. Avocet stood up slowly, her wings fanning the air slightly behind her. Maria moved into the hallway and waited for Avocet to appear at the door. She did, but never once taking her eyes off Maria. The woman smiled, "I'm not going to hurt you, Michelle. Come on, dear, lets' see what we can find."

Avocet followed her down the hallway, moving so quietly that Maria had to turn around a few times to make sure she was still there. They passed a set of stairs leading up to the second floor, completely pitch black. Several paintings lined the walls, reflected by the faint light of the candle Maria was holding. Avocet found she could see fairly well even without the candle, but she liked the idea of having it.

"I do have electricity, Michelle," Maria said, startling her, "But the lights are run by a generator outside and the noise it makes attracts those creatures, so I use it sparingly. This doesn't even account for when the generator breaks down and I have to go outside to repair it. It's old; like me, it's seen better days."

Avocet lowered her head slightly, flexing her claws in and out reflectively. Maria didn't appear to be all that old. Just how long had this nightmare been going on for, anyway? Avocet vaguely hoped her family would remain spared from all this.

Maria turned to a door at the end of the hall and grasped the knob, opening it slowly. She shined the candle inside and stepped into the room, "Here's the kitchen. Watch out for rats, Michelle. They can be a bit mean."

She stepped inside. Avocet followed, instantly hit by the horrible smell of rat droppings and rotting food. She hissed in disgust and stepped back out into the hallway. Maria turned around, eying her curiously and setting the candle on the counter, "I know it smells bad, dear, but that's what happens when the refrigerator loses power. Here, I have some carrots I've been growing upstairs. Would you like one?" she asked, handing a small bundle over to her. Avocet stood in the doorway, her eyes narrowed at the thought of more floral food. At least Maria wasn't offering her mushrooms.

She stepped inside delicately, her feet moving deftly around broken debris and any small rodents darting in and out of the shadows created by the candle. She reached out and took the proffered carrots, stepping back away from Maria. The woman just watched her as she did so. Avocet watched as Maria dug out a few other vegetables and assorted dried foods from a large wooden cedar chest resting against the wall. She shut the lid and straightened up, "All right. I've got a few other things. If you get thirsty, I have a rain barrel set up upstairs. Okay, Michelle?"

Avocet stepped back as Maria came out of the kitchen, moving back toward the room at the end. She followed silently, clutching her little bundle of carrots. She had to admit, they smelled sweet. Maybe they'd taste better than the various mushrooms she'd been finding.

Once back inside the room, Maria closed the door and moved to the fireplace. She placed a few logs in from the box beside the structure and struck a match. It took a few minutes, but a little fire started crackling and popping away in the hearth.

Maria added a few handfuls of straw to give it fuel and then turned to Avocet, "There, now we have a little more light, Michelle. The carrots are clean; I washed them after I picked them. Go ahead and eat."

Avocet was still trying to get used to being called a different name. But she didn't complain about it since if she did, she'd have to tell Maria what her name actually was. She instead eyed the carrots distastefully. She used one of her claws to snap the string holding them together. Picking one up, she sniffed it carefully and took a small bite off the end. It was crunchy, and not very soft. The taste wasn't very strong and it had a slight Earthy flavor. She swallowed dryly, not finding the taste to her liking, but forcing herself to finish it. She needed the nutrients if she was going to escape.

"I'm sorry I don't have much else," Maria said, picking up some vegetable that Avocet didn't recognize, "I got some of this from my sister. Her husband is a brave man and he goes into the forest every day to tend to a garden he's keeping. Maryann worries endlessly that he'll never come home, but I understand his thinking; we've gotta have food, after all, one way or another."

Avocet started working on another carrot, her mind already sharpening from fresh food in her belly. She eyed Maria curiously. The woman shook her head, chuckling nervously, "It's okay. He's fine, I'm sure. The creatures don't really come around during the day, so I'm sure he'll stay safe."

Avocet raised her head slightly.

The tingling feeling was back. She whipped her head to the side, glaring toward the window. She hissed and raised herself on her haunches, baring her claws as she backed up against the wall, her wings opening behind her. Maria looked in that direction, her eyes emotionless and distant.

 _Scrape. Scccccccratch. Scccccccratch._

"Right on time," Maria mumbled, her gaze rising to the roof of the house, "Be quiet, Michelle. If they don't hear anything for sure, they won't bother trying to break in."

Avocet glanced at her and fell silent. All around outside, she could hear the familiar snuffling and chuffing of the black demon. Only this time, it sounded like there were more of them. There was a loud _smack_ on the wall, as if one of them dashed their tail against the side of the house. A chilling hiss echoed from another not too far from the window and this was replied to by a few more further away. Avocet still sat crouched defensively, her claws digging into the wooden floor as she trained her eyes on the window. She was ready to spring at a moment's notice in case they broke in.

"Michelle, just relax," Maria said soothingly, "They do this every night. I've yet to see one actually get in."

Avocet wouldn't be calmed, however. The tingling down her back had since turned into full blown stabbing and her feathers stood on end. She felt like a caged rat, fighting her instincts screaming at her to run. She maintained a continuous low growl deep in her throat. Maria just stared at her worriedly, occasionally casting nervous glances toward the locked window. This night, it truly did sound like there were more of them out there than usual.

It was probably going to be a very long night.

/ooo/

Morning took far too long to arrive. The black demons had congregated around the house all night. They'd finally dispersed an hour or so before sunup. Now, the outside sounds were quiet, extremely so, without even birdsong to brighten the day and chase away the lingering nightmares of before.

Avocet was still on high alert. After nearly three weeks of living this way, she was becoming highly attuned to existing on a knife edge. She also refused to fall asleep, keeping both eyes on the window and on Maria. Yes, Maria had been quite kind to her, but as far as she was concerned, no human could be fully trusted.

However, she _was_ considering breaking her silence and actually speaking to the woman for once. She figured she owed her _that_ much at least.

Maria had finally drifted off to sleep a couple of hours before, despite the ruckus outside. Now, she was beginning to stir from her fitful slumber. Avocet watched her quietly, noting the dark marks beneath the woman's eyes and the gauntness of her face. Though young, Avocet trusted her instincts implicitly. They told her that Maria wouldn't live much longer at this rate.

Avocet flexed her wings in and out as she thought. She knew that the black demons had smelled them hiding in the house. There was no other reason for them to search the same place over and over again. On top of that, the smell of her blood from her healing wound was still very potent. She couldn't stay much longer in this place.

For both their sakes, she had to keep moving.

Maria still slept lightly, her eyes moving beneath the lids. Avocet stood up silently, noting the sunlight streaming through the slits in the boards over the windows. Remembering a custom performed in the clan, she reached behind her and winced as she yanked a small feather out of her right wing. Her wings twitched at the sting, but she ignored it and bent down before Maria, opening her right hand carefully so as not to wake her and placing the feather in her hand, "Thank you, Maria..." she whispered softly, "For everything."

Maria didn't awaken and Avocet straightened up. She left the room, closing the door behind her as she made her way upstairs. She'd heard a whistling draft wafting in from the stairs the night before and knew there had to be a way out through there. She ascended quietly, her feet making nary a sound on the old rickety floorboards. Upon reaching the landing, she heard the distinct sound of wind humming from somewhere close by. The upstairs looked much like the downstairs with a single narrow hallway and a small selection of doors to choose from. Following the smell of the wind, Avocet traced it to the second door sitting slightly ajar and opened it cautiously. Just as she'd suspected, there was another fireplace in this room. She moved across the room toward it and leaned in to glance up through the chimney. She could see daylight through the opening and hoped it was big enough to slip through. Sliding into the chimney, she gouged her claws into the rocks, finding the going to be a little easier this time around. Working in tandem, she pulled herself along, alternating between her hand and foot claws as she steadily moved upward. Dust and soot coated her down and arms, but she paid it no mind. She managed to reach the top and scrabbled onto the edge of the chimney, grinding her teeth as she heaved herself up. Thankfully, this chimney was a bit wider than the other one and she was able to slip through the opening. She jumped down onto the roof, gently sliding her way to the edge. Gauging the distance to be about twenty feet or so, she braced and dropped off the roof, landing somewhat clumsily, but still balanced. Learning to climb all those trees had strengthened her legs.

She glanced behind her at the house; the walls and boards were covered in scratch marks and there was a heavy, musty scent all over the place. It smelled like the saliva the black demons possessed and Avocet shivered at the memory. Despite the damage though, the house appeared sturdy.

"Thank you, Maria," she said again, though mostly to herself, "I hope you survive this."

Avocet lingered a short while outside the house, trying to ignore a small surge of guilt welling through her. She hadn't said a word to the woman at all during their night spent hiding from the black demons. She regretted it some, but knew it was for the best. She was on her own now and if she was going to survive, she needed to put herself first.

She looked back at the house one last time and then turned, heading off toward the forest.

 **A/N: I am currently up to 219 pages with this story and making fairly good progress. With this in mind, I may begin to update more frequently. As always, your reviews and feedback help me improve and, most importantly, keep me motivated. Shout out to werewolfbleu and her story, 'Can I Keep Him?' for the AvP franchise. Absolutely a riot, one of the THE funniest things I have ever read, expertly written action scenes, and Predator portrayals so accurate and yet so mind-bogglingly hilarious that I don't even want to tell you more about it; spoilers are not welcome. Oh, and as for her two big guys and what their names end up being? I won't even DARE spoil it for you here.**


	6. Six

Six

Several hours passed by without much notice. Traveling appeared to have that effect. Avocet found herself caught up in the scenery around her, a deceptively peaceful mountain trail probably used by hunters. It was well worn. With the sunlight streaming through the tree branches, it was hard to believe the night before had been filled with waking nightmares of bipedal black monsters and mysterious 'saviors' firing white hot projectiles into hillsides. Any more of this excitement and Avocet figured she'd probably die from sheer exhaustion. She was forced to stop frequently to rest while trekking further up the mountain. And she hadn't come across anything edible or familiar for several hours. The carrots she'd eaten the night before were already beginning to wear off. Though she tried a few times when the opportunity presented itself, she was unsuccessful in hunting any small prey that crossed her path. She resorted to just taking it slow and steady on the way up. By the time she reached a stopping point, it was already evening and the sun was beginning to dip.

The road Avocet chose to take was a steep incline leading up the mountain. She assumed it was a transport road due to the wideness of the path. However at one point, about a quarter of the way up, the road had been washed out by a mudslide, the resulting bank too slippery even for her to cross. She was forced to simply stand there and digest what she was seeing, her wings twitching in agitation. Had she been born a normal Avian, crossing this gap wouldn't even phase her. Actually, thinking about it like that, had she been born a normal Avian, she wouldn't be traversing human territory in the first place at her age. She'd be preparing for her flight trials where her place in the caste would be decided.

She hadn't thought of home in several days. The thought of her mother searching her old tree by the outskirts of the territory and finding only her discarded feathers made her heart feel sick.

Sighing, she turned toward the remainder of the cliff edge, seeing a ridge located about thirty feet up. There were tree roots and rocks lodged into the side and she knew she could use those as a foothold if she was careful. She didn't want to cause another mudslide. But she was losing light fast and needed to find some shelter quickly before those black demons started appearing again.

Grasping a tree root, she hauled herself up, ignoring the way her muscles protested the action due to her lingering malnourishment. The carrots the night before that Maria had given her had helped, but they weren't enough to keep her going for long. As she'd been suspecting, she needed to eat meat to fully regain her strength as an Avian.

She forced herself to keep going. Maria had said that the entire region was overrun by black demons and that a quarantine was being placed by someone. She'd forgotten the name already. If that were true, she needed to get out before she was caught. Maria was a fluke, caring for Avocet like she had. Who knows what other humans would think of an Avian wandering alone?

As she reached up to grab hold of another root, she heard a sharp whizzing sound in the distance. Pausing, she glanced behind her and screamed as the world exploded around her, threatening to send her plummeting back toward the road. She held onto the root in her grasp with a death grip, her other arm covering her head as debris rained down on her. She looked down through the hail of dirt and stones. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw yet another black demon scaling the wall about sixty feet away from her. But it wasn't so much that that terrified her, the sight of this inky black monster with saliva pouring from its jaws as it finally took notice of her, no. It was the sight of the melted, corroded handle of the familiar hunting knife barely visible around a crusty coating of dried yellow blood beneath its neck that terrified Avocet.

Another white hot blast struck the cliff Avocet clung to, knocking the black demon back down to the road below with a shrieking hiss. Avocet didn't bother to watch its descent as she scrambled up the side of the cliff. It vaguely occurred to her that the black creature wasn't the only one following her.

Gasping, she cleared the edge of the ridge, pushing herself up with the last of her strength as her legs gave way. Her body was already famished and exhausted; she couldn't take much more of this. But a familiar echoing roar sent shivers down her spine and she tapped into reserves of strength as she jumped up and headed for the trees beyond the ridge. A rattling shriek met her ears and she barely had time to register as something heavy barreled into her, knocking her sideways. She twisted and landed shakily on her feet, sliding backward through sheer momentum as her claws dug into the ground. Her wings extended and she looked up into that horrifying black face, the knife handle just within sight in the grisly mess of clotted blood at its neck. But it held its head at a grotesque angle, suggesting immense pain from such a ghastly wound. It hissed viciously at her, that bizarre second mouth shooting out preemptively as it approached her, tail swishing. Avocet stood up, claws bared and eyes flaming. If she was going to go down, she was going to go down fighting.

The creature hesitated a moment, as if discerning the best method of attack. Avocet crouched and hissed warningly, her eyes narrowed and her teeth bared. As a fledgeling, she knew she didn't present an imposing image quite yet. It would be awhile before her adult feathers and markings developed and before her milk teeth were replaced with sharp adult teeth. But that was assuming she lived long enough to witness those changes.

The black demon snarled suddenly, saliva flying from its mouth as it charged her. Avocet flexed her claws, holding her ground until the last second as she jinked, swiping her claws across the creature's head and leaving several deep marks running along its wide skull. It swiveled sharply, its tail narrowly missing her face. It shook its head and shrieked angrily, bracing to charge again. This time, Avocet was pinned against the trees. She had nowhere to dodge to. As the creature raced toward her, she braced, preparing to spend her final few seconds on this Earth ripping out that horrible second mouth.

The creature stopped just short of her, jaws gnashing viciously at her face and the second mouth just far enough away to send shivers down her spine as it snapped so close at her face she went cross-eyed looking at it. But it didn't come nearer. It flailed ferociously and she watched as it reared up away from her, its head angling back at an awkward ankle. What was it doing?!

Suddenly, it shrieked and its head appeared to explode as a wicked looking set of blades shot up through the skull. Avocet watched in horror as the creature started twitching in its death throes and the body was abruptly flung away across the ridge, dying with a shaky hiss. Her eyes followed the creature before slowly moving back to where it had stood moments before. At first, all she could see were those blades in midair, dripping with the yellow blood that hissed and crackled and ate away at the sharp metal. But that wasn't all that was making that crackling noise, she realized. An image appeared before her, fading in and out of sight for a second before solidifying with a cracking hum. The new creature before her lowered the arm holding the blades and a second set shot out from the gauntlet at its other arm. This creature appeared to be human, she noted, except much taller and clearly nothing like she'd ever seen before. He wore a mask over his face, preventing her from discerning his features or his thoughts. Basic armor covered his shoulders, chest, and arms and beneath that he wore what appeared to be netting along his arms, legs, and torso. He had similar armor attached to a belt about his waist and wore a loincloth of some kind beneath that, guarded by a metal codpiece. The gauntlets at his wrists were both holders for probably some of the most terrifying blades Avocet had ever seen, and he wore a spear of sorts strapped across his chest behind his back. But the thing that disturbed her the most were the series of small skulls adorning his armor and chest plates.

She stood up, backing away from him warily. That sensation down her back returned with the ferocity it had had the night before, a stabbing, numbing feeling shooting clear down to her lower spine and back up again and she felt the down on her head stand on end.

This creature was far, far more dangerous than the black demons had been. Her instincts were screaming at her to run.

She turned and took off through the trees, adrenaline sending her running full tilt only half against her will. But she was half-delirious from hunger and exhaustion and she couldn't see perfectly straight anymore. Heck, she couldn't even run as fast as she once could, now.

She gasped when that same bellowing roar echoed through the trees after her.

 _HE was the one doing that!?_ She screamed in her head, her terror pumping through her veins with her blood as she searched desperately for some way out of this. That familiar whizzing sound met her ears and she jinked as the ground exploded at her feet, sending her flying and landing hard on her side on the forest floor. Stunned, she shook her head to clear it and stood up, only to fall back down as a shooting pain ripped through her left leg originating at her hip. She was still able to move it, but she'd bruised the bone badly and it slowed her down.

" _Who's there?_ "

Avocet choked and gasped at that voice; "...Maria?" she whispered. She stumbled back as a looming dark shadow appeared in her vision through the trees, slowly approaching her.

" _What's this?_ "

Avocet bit her lip, ignoring the voice so similar to Maria's. So this monster was a mimic, huh?

Unable to run now, Avocet ground her teeth, spreading her feet apart defensively as he drew nearer to her. She hissed warningly, emitting a sharp snarl for the first time in her life. Her hip burned, her body shook, but she wasn't going to just let him take her. He stopped about five feet away, staring her down with that blank, expressionless mask of his. She could now see for sure it was a mask; she saw the outline of his actual skin end just before the edge of the cover over his face.

Cornered and completely overpowered, Avocet knew she was out of options. She almost preferred the black demon from before. Reacting purely out of fear, she snarled and leaped forward, charging him with claws bared. He raised his right arm and she heard a short _snap_ before she was suddenly flung backward, encased in a thick netting of some kind. To her horror, it started to tighten around her and she started flailing, slashing and biting at the material and working herself free. She wriggled out of the net as it contorted and twisted on the ground in a grotesque fashion. She barely had time to tear her eyes from it before a tremendous weight pressed on her throat and she was suddenly hurled against the trunk of a tree, slamming hard into it and sinking down, stunned and in pain. Her vision exploded with white hot stars and she struggled to regain clarity. She started choking when she felt the weight around her neck again and realized it was his hand wrapped around her throat. Claws raking his arm, she struggled to free herself as his iron grip tightened and she felt a horrible lightheaded feeling sinking in. Her claws dug in deeper and she managed to draw blood, but he still wouldn't let go. In desperation, she unfolded her wings and beat them furiously, the fight quickly leaving her.

All of a sudden, his grip weakened slightly. Her pulse returned to her body, pumping blood through her veins freely again as she took a desperate gasp of air. She opened her eyes, her claws still buried in his arm as she eyed him nervously. His head was tilted toward her wings, still twitching on reflex. He'd been distracted by their movement. Avocet chose now to speak up, knowing she wouldn't have another opportunity; "Why do you want to kill me? What did I do to you?!" she snapped, her voice hoarse.

His head snapped back to face her and she expected him to break her neck right then and there for barking orders at him. To her surprise, he cocked his head to the side looking at her. She heard some sort of high pitched trill escape him. Or at least she thought it was him. Honestly, she wouldn't have expected such a delicate noise to come from such a horrifying creature. She scowled, "You heard me!" she snarled at him, "I've been through enough these past few weeks. What did I do to you that I deserve to die? Can you tell me _that_ much!?"

He stared her down, his hand still coiled around her throat with just enough pressure to hold her to the tree, but not enough to flat out strangle her like before. Her claws however, remained gouged into his arm as she stared up at him darkly.

"... _hhhhhh...,_ " he suddenly grumbled, startling her. She blinked a few times, waiting with baited breath if he'd actually speak to her or not. He tossed his head once, as if trying to compose himself. He looked at her again, raising his other clawed hand and pointing to the skulls adorning his armor. He then moved his hand to lightly tap her on the forehead a couple of times.

It took her a second to work out the meaning. Her eyes widened in alarm and she ground her teeth, "What? You're hunting me for my head!?" she shrieked, "I'm not some animal!"

He placed his hand on her head and she felt an intense pressure on her scalp as he tightened his grip. Her eyes watered and she hissed, "Will...will this even be worth it!?" she cried desperately.

He froze, staring down at her. She glowered up at him and continued, "I'm just a fledgeling! I've only been fighting for three weeks! I don't know how to fight back or anything yet! Is killing a fledgeling Avian really worth all this? Are we really that rare, now!?"

Maria's words of the rare Avian sightings had stuck in her mind. And now, with her death looming before her, all of her fears and anxieties at hearing that began to bubble to the surface; "So we're rare enough that even the skull of a fledgeling is worth hunting down? Is that it!?" she screamed.

Behind the mask, he scowled angrily, his suspicions confirmed upon her words. Her tirade had identified her race as 'Avians'. He made sure to record that. However, further stating how apparently rare she and her kind were supported the reason for the lack of data his kind had on them. With as many trips as his kind had been making to Earth over the years, they should have run into some. So they were either elusive, or endangered. Or both, apparently. She was an endangered species and he knew he couldn't kill her—yet, anyway.

She wasn't done; "You want to kill me, then _fine!_ I don't care!" she shrieked, her voice cracking, "But...but why not...why not wait until I've gotten older? Until I've become good at surviving? I mean...what's the challenge now? I couldn't even fight back!"

He cocked his head to the side at her words. She noticed and scowled, "What's wrong with you!? I have nothing to stay alive for anymore! I can't fight, I don't know how! And it's not fair for you to just steal my life from me without giving me a chance to learn how to defend it! Why did you even save me twice from those monsters if you were just going to kill me!?" she yelled.

He couldn't understand half of what she was saying; she was speaking far too fast. But he was able to catch some of it. Was she asking him to train her to fight? He couldn't quite figure it out. What would bring this on all of a sudden?

"Make up your mind!" she snapped, making him look down at her again, "Either kill me, or don't! What's it going to be?"

 _That_ much, he caught. He found himself further impressed by the intense fire in her personality, much more so than many other creatures he chose to hunt. On top of that, her raw skill was very much in evidence. He _was_ curious to see what she could eventually do with such skill if put to proper nurturing and responsibility. And since he couldn't kill her anyway...

" _...going to be..._ " he repeated her own words back to her, startling her. Then, he reached down and gently pried her claws out of his arm. He released her and stepped back, allowing her to her feet. She stood up shakily, eying him warily. She was highly intimidated by his height, but she forced herself to remain calm. She wanted to run while she had the chance, but she knew that he'd be able to catch her in her weakened state without a problem.

He watched her carefully, noting how her eyes flickered to the forest around them. He wondered if she'd try to run again. She presented to him an interesting proposal. After all, since he couldn't honorably kill her, why not perform a little experiment and see how she'd do under his kind's training regimen? The taking of apprentices wasn't unheard of, though it was fairly uncommon. And the injury she'd caused to that _kiande amedha_ had made killing it laughably easy. Given her age and skill level, that was no small feat and definitely deserved some form of recognition, no matter how small.

"So what now?" she grumbled, catching his attention again, "Are you letting me go or am I going with you?"

She sounded somewhat hesitant when she said this. He pointed first to her and then to himself. She sighed, clenching her fists at her sides, "Guess I'm going, then. It's not like I've got anything left here. What are you?"

" _Yautja_." he said without hesitation. She was speaking more slowly now and he was able to make out what she was saying and actually translate it, never mind replying to it.

"Ya...Yautja?" she repeated, struggling a bit with the pronunciation. He nodded. He pointed at her, then. It took her a second to understand before her eyes widened, "Oh! Uh...Avian."

He made note of that word so he could try looking it up again later. The databanks were extensive, stretching back millenia. They had to have _something_.

"Do you have a name?" she asked, somewhat more quietly than before. She was more or less forcing herself to talk to him. She knew it was going to be awhile before she felt like he wouldn't kill her for the slightest misstep.

"... _have a name..._ " he repeated in her words. He hesitated, "Kar'kha."

He looked around slowly, and then looked back down at her. He reached out and placed his hand on her head somewhat roughly. She watched him warily as he nodded down to her; "Luar'ka."

"Huh?" she asked.

"Luar'ka." he said again in the same tone. His hand moved down to point at her chest, nudging her, "Luar'ka."

She realized then with a sinking feeling that he was giving her a new name. This was different from when Maria had started calling her 'Michelle'. This was more permanent. But like it or not, she had no choice, now. She'd chosen this, and she had to take the twists and turns that came with it. She sighed sadly, nodding, "Luar'ka," she repeated, managing to pronounce it as he did. This was no small feat though, as for some reason, every time he spoke, strange growls and clicks were emitted along with his oddly gravelly voice. But she'd managed to enunciate her new name quite well. She looked back up at him glumly, "So, does it mean anything?" she mumbled.

He swept his arm out slowly, gesturing around them. She followed his movements, studying the scenery for what he was referring to. "Uh...forest?" she ventured.

He shook his head, those strange black appendages on the back of his head swishing with his movements before settling. He repeated the gesture and she tried again, "Hm...oh, dark!" she said.

He nodded once and then looked up, pointing at the sky toward the east, where the moon would have been rising if it weren't a dark moon at the moment. She frowned, trying to place his meaning. His motions indicated 'sky', but to point where the moon would normally be visible as a specific direction clued her into to his other possible meaning. She decided to take a chance. She studied it a moment as she pieced the fragments together in her mind, "Luar'ka means...'Dark Moon'?" she asked.

He knelt down and began to write in the dirt between them with his claw. She knelt as well and watched as he wrote out two words in a language she didn't recognize. They were strange letters composed of little lines to make odd symbols and patterns. He finished the words and then drew a line between certain combinations of letters, rewriting the final combination below them for her to see. She realized then that her name was a combination of those two words meaning 'Dark' and 'Moon'.

"I see..." she mumbled. It would be a while before she could fully accept her new name. She figured it would be best if she just forgot her old one. Maybe being addressed by the new one would help some.

She remained staring at the letters for longer than she probably should have, as he'd already stood up and begun moving away, but not before letting out a low growl in her direction. She shot to her feet, quaking nervously as she turned to face him. She kept reminding herself, her life was spared. He'd agreed to her challenge. With any luck, she'd survive whatever the future held and come out strong enough to win in the end.

"Oh..." she muttered, "Wait!"

To her surprise, he paused, turning back slightly to look at her. He watched as she searched the forest floor, turning leaves and larger rocks until she found a smaller, sharper rock. He turned fully, cocking his head to the side as she ran to the tree he'd previously had her pinned against. She stood on the roots and, using the sharpest edge of the rock, started carving something into the bark. He waited, watching curiously until she was finished. He couldn't see what she had written and he felt it best to leave her to her task in peace.

She finally stepped back from the tree, dropping the rock as she stared at her former name carved into the tree trunk. Her wings sagged and she felt her heart hammering suddenly at the sheer force of emotion welling up through her. She dragged her claws against the rough bark of the tree over the ragged letters in her kind's adopted language, some of the only letters she knew and recognized.

"Good bye, Avocet." she whispered.

She heard him chuff impatiently several feet away. Casting one final glance at her old name on the tree, Luar'ka turned and hurried after him, resisting the urge to look back one final time at the piece of her left buried beneath that tree, the spot where her life had come to an end.

They disappeared into the darkness and a single black feather floated down to rest on the ground, forgotten by the world.

 _ **Lar'ja-**_ Dark

 _ **Luar-ke-**_ Moon

 _ **Luar'ka (** L-whuar-kah **) -** "Moon Dark"_ Dark Moon (Because the Yautja language appears to be reverse phonetic)

 **So merry Christmas, my lovelies! Here's a new chapter as a present from me. I hope you enjoy it. And yes, while I'm doing like everyone else and utilizing that amazing compilation of words courtesy of Steve Perry, I plan on expanding on it and coming up with more words and names of my own. I hope you like the new update and the change of plans for Avocet. Please review if you liked it. I'll update January 5th like usual. I just wanted to get this one out early as a present. See you in the new year, my lovelies!**

 **~Luna**


	7. Seven

Seven

The forest was almost too quiet. When the only sounds you could hear were your own footsteps, it was hard not to get wrapped up in the uneasiness that often followed. Luar'ka tried to keep her mind off of it as she struggled to match his pace. He wasn't walking very fast, but it was just the mere fact of how much taller he was than her that made it hard for her to keep up. And once, he must have paused to listen for a noise he heard, causing Luar'ka to walk into him. He'd growled at her in annoyance, but hadn't said a word otherwise.

He'd said his name was...Kar'kha? She thought that's what she'd heard. It was still hard to discern what he said through the bizarre clicks he made when he spoke. She _wanted_ to ask where they were going. But she was afraid to speak to him. There was always the possibility he'd change his mind at the slightest word she said and decide to add her to his collection of skulls. She swallowed dryly and bit her tongue, continuing to follow him.

Meanwhile, he kept track of her light footsteps behind him, making sure she was still there. And all the while, he started to wonder if this was a good idea. After all, it wasn't as if she were _typical_ prey, and the code of honor forbade him killing her anyway. But he knew that some Yautja didn't always follow the code as diligently as the majority did. He shrugged mentally as he remembered that many Badbloods often originated from such individuals. His sire served as an arbitrator and often hunted down such dishonorable members of the clan. Kar'kha couldn't say he wasn't familiar with the concept.

He shook his head with a grumble, wondering how he'd gotten his thoughts so side-tracked. He glanced back at the young female still following him. He could tell from her scent that she was dangerously weak. A youngling her age probably wouldn't have lasted too much longer without guidance, especially with so many _kiande amedha_ infesting this region.

Still, he did feel slight trepidation at the thought of bringing her back. No doubt there would be problems. Apprentices weren't unheard of, but they were not too common. They also were not usually so young. Fortunately, he had recorded her successful attack on the hard meat that had cornered her. He could use that image as proof if questioned. She had potential and since he couldn't kill her anyway, he might as well see what she could do with such potential.

Looking up, he covertly changed the vision setting in his mask back to default; thermal readings. Glancing behind him, he noticed again that her body temperature was abnormally low. He wondered if the female's low temperature had anything to do with her current weakened state.

He faced forward again, steadily making his way back to his ship. During his absence from the young female, he'd done some more thorough investigating of the immediate area. Despite scans and the killing of three more drones, he couldn't find evidence of a Queen anywhere. He hadn't even seen any of the tou'amedhas at all. Something wasn't adding up. But his deadline was almost up and the Clan Leaders were going to want an update soon.

He paused at the edge of the treeline, glancing down at the young female who stopped beside him, having learned from the last time.

He could see one of his comrades skulking about in the shadows, keeping an eye out for any intruders. He didn't have the cloak up, which surprised Kar'kha, until he remembered that Thwei'ja had had his comp damaged during the last hunt they'd been on. He probably still hadn't found time to fix it. Steeling himself, he pressed forward toward the distorted outline of the cloaked ship. Thwei'ja's head shot up as they approached and he let out a low rumble which quickly turned into a full on snarl at the sight of Luar'ka. He stamped forward and his head snapped in Kar'kha's direction.

Luar'ka got the distinct feeling that this comrade of Kar'kha's was a little miffed at her presence. She couldn't tell what was being said. It seemed to be a language consisting mostly of growls, clicks, and trills. The individual Kar'kha was arguing with was at least a head taller than he was and the long dark appendages attached to the back of his head were considerably longer and decorated with more intricate rings than Kar'kha's. He kept snapping his gaze to Luar'ka behind his mask, and his words were sounding more and more heated.

" _Ki'cte!_ " he shouted suddenly. He glowered at her one final time, still unintelligible behind the mask and then whirled, stalking to the ship which dropped the cloak as he approached, "... _kha'bj-te..._ " he snarled under his breath as he boarded the ship.

Luar'ka watched him go and then looked at Kar'kha uncertainly. He had his head bowed, his fists clenched at his sides. She backed away from him, as the tension rolling off of him in waves was almost tangible. He seemed to notice her caution and a deep rumble escaped him, followed by a huffing sigh. His stiff shoulders relaxed and he headed toward the ship, motioning her to follow him. She did so, tucking her wings behind her nervously. She squeezed her eyes shut, following him blindly up into the ship as she shut her mind away from the fact that something was about to happen.

Her clawed feet skidded a bit on the unfamiliar metallic surface. She'd never seen anything like this before. As she regained her balance, she spread her wings to station herself, scattering feathers. She sighed in irritation when she realized all this stress was causing her to molt.

She gasped sharply when Kar'kha snatched her arm and dragged her down the hallway, opening a door in the wall. He shoved her inside and stepped back. Luar'ka scrambled up to try to follow him back out, but the door slid shut with a sharp _woosh_. She crashed into it, clawing desperately at the slippery surface as her pulse pounded in her ears, her fear rising.

"No! No wait, please! Let me out! Let me out!" she cried. Her wings sagged behind her and she sank to the floor, digging her claws into her palms, "Please..." she whispered, even though she knew no one would hear her.

/ooo/

"You _are_ the odd runt, _Mei'hswei."_

Kar'kha's hand twitched as he helped his brothers repair the transmitter. He dropped the cutting tool he was holding while he was still of a mind to as he growled irritably. The second Yautja turned to leer at him mischievously while the third remained engrossed in his task.

Growling out in his native language, Kar'kha felt compelled to defend his case, even to his brothers, "And what do you mean by that?"

"My apologies; you _were_ the odd runt. Now, you are merely odd."

Kar'kha snarled at his brother who huffed out a cackling chuckle in return, "Just as temperamental as always, _Mei'hswei_. No control, none at all. The Elders let a pup like you pass your _Chiva_?"

The third brother looked up from his task and gave the second brother a sharp whack to the back of the head, snarling his irritation at the jeering. The second brother spread his mandibles wide in his own aggravated growl before tucking them in close to his face and standing up and moving away. Kar'kha shook his head at this display and moved to the control board, checking the computer's homing coordinates. The ship they were using was older and required more maintenance protocols to keep it running.

"Ikthya'de," he said, "Are we to return to the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_ after this hunt, or are we returning home?"

" _Jag'd'dja' atoll_. We have to submit the reports immediately upon our return." the second brother grumbled, rubbing the back of his head where the third had knocked him.

"I hope you realize," the third brother clicked without looking up from the transmitter, "that _someone_ is going to have to mention the _pyode amedha_ now on board."

"I am well aware of that fact, Than'ja." Kar'kha quipped irritably, "I intend to once we have returned to their range."

His brother glanced at him over his shoulder, eying the younger sibling with suspicious distaste. He turned his head to Ikthya'de and tossed the tool he was using at him, ignoring the annoyed hiss from his brother as he approached Kar'kha seriously. Than'ja was actually very close in height to his younger brother, who stood just a few inches taller than him. Glaring at him speculatively, he sighed, "Why, Kar'kha? Why, after all that Thwei'ja scolded you for, why disobey him and keep that _ooman_ on the ship? Aside from unwise, it is sheer recklessness."

"You should claim her head now before Thwei'ja throws her in the airlock." Ikthya'de piped up from the control board. A resounding bark from Than'ja shut him up. He turned back to his younger sibling, his head shaking slowly, "We heard him from in here, Kar'kha. He is not pleased."

"I could not honorably kill her, Than'ja," Kar'kha said, his voice strained, "Our computer has no information on her species. If this means she is endangered, I cannot kill her on the code of honor."

"Her species?" Than'ja repeated in bewilderment.

"She is no _ooman_." Kar'kha said gravely, "She calls herself 'Ah'viannnn'."

He was forced to pronounce Avian in broken _ooman_ speech and even then, it sounded butchered. Than'ja clicked his mandibles in regard to his brother's words. He let out a rattling sigh, "Regardless of her status," he continued, "Why bring her on board?"

"Do not say you wish to apprentice her!" Ikthya'de barked with a harsh, amused laugh. However his brother's distinct silence caused his laugh to stutter and die in his throat as his eyes narrowed, finally being serious for once. He stood up at the control board and lowered his head, "Are you serious?" he mumbled.

Rather than answer, Kar'kha raised his left arm and accessed the recordings from his mask, bringing up a holographic image of the hard meat attacking the young female at the riverbed. Both of his brothers watched, dumbstruck when they saw the knife plunged into the neck of the beast, securing a temporary victory for the young female. He also showed them recordings of her movements during his brief scuffle with her in the forest.

"I cannot kill her honorably," Kar'kha said again, firmly, "I wish to see what she can do."

Ikthya'de seemed impressed with the recording, standing at the controls with his arms folded, clicking his mandibles together pensively as he stared into space. Than'ja however stood with his shoulders squared and his head somewhat low, signaling to Kar'kha that he was apprehensive.

"Thwei'ja will be a concern." he said finally, "You know how he is."

"I intend to keep her out of sight." Kar'kha said quickly.

"You cannot train a suckling, Kar'kha." Than'ja said sharply, "Let alone one of another race."

Ikthya'de huffed once and looked up, "He has a point, _Mei'hswei_. You yourself have only been Blooded for five seasons."

Kar'kha cast his gaze from one brother to the other, gauging their reactions. Ikthya'de was fairly laid back and he knew he could probably count on his support. Than'ja however was a bit more cautious, almost to the point of being high strung at times. But while Kar'kha respected and looked up to his older brothers, he was going to stand his ground on this one. _Especially_ where Thwei'ja was concerned.

"Forgive me," he said sternly, "But I have made my choice."

"Stubborn Youngblood..." Than'ja muttered under his breath.

"Shock." Ikthya'de quipped sarcastically, earning him a sidelong glare from both brothers. Than'ja sighed, stretching his mandibles and then tucking them back in tightly, "So be it, _Mei'hswei_. Be warned; Thwei'ja's anger is yours to manage."

With those ominous parting words, Than'ja turned back to the controls, snatching the tools back from Ikthya'de as he resumed his work. Ikthya'de sulked for just a moment before straightening up, "I am going to the armory to start repairs." he announced. Than'ja grunted in reply, but didn't look up.

Ikthya'de grasped Kar'kha's shoulder as he passed and shook him roughly, a wide, amused grin spreading his mandibles out as he cackled, "Enjoy your new pet, _Mei'hswei_." he teased him. He headed off down the corridor. Kar'kha was left standing in the cockpit watching his brother silently working on the controls. The way he held himself suggested to Kar'kha that he didn't wish to be bothered right then with more petty matters. Kar'kha huffed silently and turned, moving out of the room. The corridors were dark, as the engines currently weren't running and the lights were powered down to save energy. Again, aged ship.

He wasn't sure where Thwei'ja had gone. He assumed their leader had gone hunting as a way to vent his anger toward his younger subordinate. Kar'kha didn't blame him, honestly. He was sure he'd be in the same state of mind if crossed so blatantly. But he was committed now and something in him balked at the thought of giving up once he'd started something. He knew he could probably rely on Ikthya'de's assistance should something go wrong. Than'ja might possibly take his side for a short while. At least he hoped so. The last thing he wanted was for this whole event to create a rift between them. His sire's bloodline had had more than its fair share of bad luck in recent centuries. Of the eighteen siblings Kar'kha and his brothers had known, all but five had perished. The other two remaining blood relations were both female and lived separately from the males, usually refraining from contacting their brothers. Kar'kha had only ever met his eldest sister one time. He still carried the scar to this day. Ikthya'de and Than'ja, a pair of extremely unusual twin Yautja, were the only brothers Kar'kha had left that he was close to or knew of. Despite their near constant bickering, the two were very close and worked uncommonly well together in tandem hunts. Most Yautja hunted alone and rarely relied on any sort of team formation, even when hunting with other members. Ikthya'de and Than'ja positively thrived on strategic tandem hunts, often bringing down prey far too large for any single hunter to tackle. Kar'kha had heard their sire once theorize that the two of them had the potential to become Pack Leaders one day.

However, despite their prowess, it was quite obvious to all who knew the brothers that neither one wished to stay as hunters. Despite having become Blooded Warriors in superb fashion and each possessing skills that had Youngbloods looking on in envy, Than'ja's passion in life was stationed in the medical bay while Ikthya'de had made up his mind to become a metal worker. Both were valuable and highly necessary skills in the Clan, as of course not _every_ Yautja could be a full-time hunter, but it was no small disappointment to their sire. Hence, the pressure to succeed was taken from the brothers for the most part and placed on Kar'kha's shoulders. And he knew that unless he had his brothers' support in this venture, he was going to catch the wrath of the _Paya_ from his sire over his choice to take an apprentice. The practice, while rare, was wholly legitimate. In fact, the last time he'd visited the homeworld, an _ooman_ apprentice had been taken by one of the Elders. If another creature of sentience impressed a Yautja enough, the possibility for apprenticeship was always available. Again though, it was a rare occurrence, as, with scarce exceptions, the Yautja kept to themselves as a means to preserve the secrets of their technology.

Kar'kha was taking an enormous risk with Luar'ka.

He paused outside the storeroom he'd shoved her into. He listened intently, but he couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary. Frowning, he pressed the button on the wall outside and the door slid open softly. He stepped into the room and looked around. He'd replaced his mask to its fixture in his quarters alongside his other armor and his various weapons and trophies. He still wore the netting, loincloth and comp still attached to his wrist, but he wasn't able to scan the room for her faint heat signature. He clicked his mandibles a few times, scanning the room filled with shelves storing broken or unused equipment. Letting out a series of soft rumbles, he entered the room and shut the door, lest she sneak out while his back was turned. He could sense heavy tension in the room, even from a youngling such as the female. On reflex, the rumbling in his chest turned into a soft purr to calm her, wherever she was in the room. It was a natural reaction for male Yautja when dealing with tension or stress in females. Though young, he figured it would have a similar effect on her. Although, to be fair, he'd never once felt the need to use such an ability, so he honestly wasn't sure how calming the sound actually was coming from him.

"That's a nice sound..."

His purr stuttered and ended in a snarl as he shot around, his gaze flying to the ceiling as his eyes flamed angrily at being startled. He took a step back, somewhat baffled. Luar'ka was hanging by her claws from the pipes and domed framework running along the curved length of the ceiling, her wings tucked tight against her back. Watching him from her upside-down stance, she smiled somewhat sadly and forcefully, "Hi." she mumbled. She crept slowly along the pipes toward him, still watching him upside down. She released the pipe with her right hand, hanging down as she left go with her right foot, preparing to drop down to the floor. He stepped back to give her room to experiment, watching as she hung there a moment, readying herself to twist her body as soon as she let go. She released the pipes and successfully twisted in midair. However, her landing was less than stellar and she flopped down hard on her side.

"Oww..." she groaned, sitting up, "Agh..."

Kar'kha chuckled in that gravelly voice of his, making her glare up at him angrily. He watched as her eyes widened in alarm and remembered that this was the first time she was seeing him without his mask. He faced her head on, flaring his mandibles once and then tucking them back in again. He crouched in front of her, staring her down and daring her to be afraid of him. The few _oomans_ he'd interacted with had withdrawn in terror at his uncovered face, even more terrified than they'd been while he was merely hunting them. He wondered how the young female would react.

Luar'ka shivered a bit at the sight of Kar'kha's face. Four mandibles tipped with sharp tusks stretched wide to reveal rows of sharp teeth inside the inner mouth. She watched as he tucked them back down, working them back into a comfortable place before settling completely. To be perfectly honest, it reminded her of how she flexed and arranged her own wings. His eyes were somewhat sunken into his skull beneath his wide crown and in the low light, she could see he was a light golden reddish color. Even crouched low like he was, he was huge compared to her. And he wasn't even as big as the one he'd been arguing with when they arrived.

A low rumble reverberated from deep in his chest and he said something to her in his native language, interrupted every few seconds by clicks and growls. His speech was certainly much more fluid in his native tongue than in her language. But she couldn't understand a word of it. She looked up at him, her face riddled with apologetic confusion as she shook her head. He blinked, his eyes narrowed. He raised his left arm and typed something into the comp at his wrist. She watched him do this, fascinated as a series of those strange letters played across the screen. A jet of light shot out of it and formed an image of a sphere in front of her. It was filled with clouds of small points in varying dark colors. She watched as the image zoomed suddenly to a certain point in the sphere. He raised his other hand and pointed to a tiny blue dot. Meeting her gaze, he then tapped his claw on the floor a few times. When she didn't understand, he pointed to the dot again and then repeated the action. He could see the gears in her mind working feverishly as she suddenly lit up, "Earth!" she exclaimed. He nodded, ignoring the slight rise of pride he felt at how quickly she was able to catch on. He typed something else into the computer and she watched as the image changed, the blue dot vanishing as the sphere rotated on its axis, bringing another colored dot, this time bright green, into view. He pointed to that dot and this time, lightly jabbed the air in an upward direction. Luar'ka frowned, studying the image and then raising her eyes to his questioningly, "We're...we're leaving...Earth?" she said softly. He nodded once, confirming. Her eyes grew wide for a moment and she drew a breath, "But...but how? How is that even possible? Where are we going?" she exclaimed, her fear spiking. However, before it could turn into full on terror, he started purring on reflex. The sound had an immediate effect and she folded her legs beneath her, curling in on herself as she tried to calm her mind. He gave her several minutes, waiting until he judged her calmer before saying anything else.

"Okay. Where are we going?" she asked, her voice low.

" _Illmianyar_." he answered. "TttaKe. Ssssevennn. rrrrotttassshuunssss."

"'Take seven rotations'?" she repeated, one brow raising in confusion, "Do you mean it'll...take seven days to get there?"

" _Sei-i_." he trilled, glad to have gotten her back on the same wavelength as him.

"Oh..."

Beneath them, a fierce roaring suddenly echoed through the ship. Luar'ka stiffened, her head twisting this way and that as she traced the source of the noise. Looking to Kar'kha in alarm, she was amazed to see he was still crouching before her, perfectly calm as he watched her expectantly. His expression was unreadable. The whole ship started to shake. Kar'kha stood up and moved to the door without a word. Luar'ka leaped to her feet and tried to follow him, but he shut the door before she could reach it. She crashed against it, pounding her fists again and again on the metal surface, "Kar'kha! What's going on?! PLEASE! Tell me!" she screamed. Whirling in terror, she saw that the room she was in had a row of windows on the opposite wall. She ran over to them and looked out. Her eyes bugged in her head as she saw that they were currently rising high above the mountains. She looked to the west and her heart climbed into her throat as she recognized the great sandstone spire far in the distance, a landmark her kind used to navigate the desert.

She was looking at her homeland.

"No..." she whispered, placing her hand against the glass, "This...this wasn't what I wanted...was it? Mother..."

They were rising higher and higher and for the first time, Luar'ka was able to see it as the gods had always intended her to; "Mother..."

Her claws raked the glass and she barely noticed the tears streaming down her face as the spire vanished from even her powerful sight, "Rail..."

The land below became a blend of browns, greens, and blue. She could see the ocean now as the clouds began to drift into her line of sight. Her nails against the glass made a sharp squealing noise that made her flinch, but she ground her teeth, ignoring it, "...Peregrine..."

The clouds obscured her vision, and they rose higher and higher, going faster and faster. All around outside the window, she saw clouds, rising through them and eventually clearing them to reveal a stark, deep blue sky filled with the purest sunlight Luar'ka had ever seen. But the tears watering her vision made it hard to see it directly. Her claws dug into her palms, causing blood to flow freely. Outside, the ship began to rattle and shake fiercely, as fire appeared to engulf it as it continued to rise. Luar'ka had no way of understanding that they were breaking through the Earth's atmosphere. She leaned against the glass, watching where her homeland could once be seen, even as the ship finally rocketed out the atmosphere and into the first reaches of space. Luar'ka could see the planet in all its heavenly glory, its slow rotation already visible as the ship seemed to become weightless in the vast nothingness of space. To Luar'ka's untrained eye, they had entered a state of permanent night and she could see stars in all directions. But her eyes remained focused on N'-ithya, even as it began to grow further and further away at incredible speeds. Tears fell from her eyes onto her arms and her tunic, but she paid them no mind, silently crying and quietly mourning the loss of her home. Within seconds, the N'-ithya could be held in her arms. Within minutes, in the palm of her hands. By the time a half hour had gone by, it was the size of a pebble. And still Luar'ka continued to watch it, mesmerized and deeply grieved all at once. Soon, she could no longer see the Earth. It was then that she finally slipped to the floor, away from the window, burying her face in her arms. She had no tears left to cry, but her body was so weak from physical and mental stress that this seemed to be the final straw. Her body wouldn't move and her mind was in a haze of mist and recollections of fleeting memories. Dimly, she could see her hand on the floor in front of her, felt the gnawing of her empty, straining stomach struggling to keep her going. Her body felt numb, her mind following suit. She couldn't move, couldn't command her own limbs to do her bidding and heave her to her feet. She couldn't feel her feet or her wings either. He entire body was sinking into a pit of comfortable numbness.

Was this what dying felt like? Was she actually dying?

Somewhere in the distance, she heard a faint _wooshing_ sound. But she was too weak to place it. She felt something touch her head and neck. She heard what sounded like a voice. She felt herself being moved across the floor and laid on her back. She heard another voice, this one harsher and more reprimanding. Another, somewhat calmer voice was the last thing she heard before her world blackened entirely.

/ooo/

Luar'ka awoke in intervals, her body slowly regaining feeling. Starting with her fingertips, she flexed her claws carefully, testing them. Her eyelids were heavy and her body felt weighted down. She felt warm, too. Too warm, like she had back when Maria had found her and bundled her up.

Maria. It felt like years since Luar'ka had escaped her home. She wondered how the woman was doing, or if she even survived the onslaught of those black demons. She sure hoped so. Human or not, she'd been very kind.

Luar'ka started panting, her body temperature rising. Sweat glued her down to her scalp and she was feeling very uncomfortable. She kicked her legs to stand up, only to find them entangled in something heavy. She ground her teeth, beating her wings as she struggled to free herself. Thrashing wildly, she smacked into the wall with a resounding _klunk_ and started screeching angrily, scrambling to her feet as she finally disengaged herself from...a blanket.

"What?" she mumbled. She opened her eyes more fully and, once they focused, caught sight of a thin sheet of some sort, scratchy to the feel and made of some material she'd never seen before. It almost didn't feel like cloth, but it was surprisingly heavy. In her eyes, it almost looked like hide of some kind.

Her eyes were sensitive and stung slightly to the touch. She turned and glanced out the window. Far off stars passed by fast, too fast to focus on for long. Luar'ka wondered how long she'd been out. She stood up, moving slowly over to the door. Of course, it wouldn't open. She sighed as she confirmed she was locked in—again. Turning around, her nose twitched and her stomach growled loudly, making her double over slightly as she grit her teeth. Squinting, she looked around and realized she could smell something. She saw something sitting on the floor a few feet away from the door. Her stomach growled again when she realized that it was food. Approaching it, she noticed it was just a shapeless lump of meat from some kind of animal, cold to the smell and touch as if it had been frozen, but otherwise entirely raw. She swallowed dryly, her mouth already watering. She was instinctively wary about eating, but she was able to overcome it as she sliced a chunk off with her claws and brought it up to her mouth. The second she caught a close whiff of it, all inhibition left her and she devoured it in famished abandon. It didn't matter that it was still partially frozen or that she had no idea what animal it had come from. All her body cared about was that she, a natural born predator, was finally getting to eat something other than roughage and tubers, and something more akin to what her body had evolved to process.

In the back of her mind, she vaguely realized this was her first true meal in probably her entire life. She was born into the dying stages of the Avian community. And with her birth defect already stunting her wings' growth, she was forbidden proper nutrition from the get go. Not so, here. Though she got the sense that only Kar'kha truly seemed to at least acknowledge her well being on this ship, since it was most likely he who had left this meat here for her, she was beginning to understand that he and his kind had entirely different mindsets than any from either humans or her own people. Her birth defect meant nothing to these new creatures. She had fought for her life against the black demons and against Kar'kha. He'd taken her along with him. If she was going to get technical, he _had_ killed her and then resurrected her in a new life. A new life where the things that held her back on N'-ithya were of no concern and her strength would apparently be tested in other ways, whatever those ways were.

This thought weighed on her mind as she finally ate her fill and then wearily groomed herself, still exhausted. It was official. She was now deep in the night sky and far, far, _far_ away from Earth. Her family had considered her dead, otherwise they would've come looking for her long ago. Her face hardened at this thought. She gnashed her teeth together, a low rumble escaping her throat at the thought of Elder Condor. Her eyes burned holes in the side of the ship, back towards the blue planet she could no longer see.

She curled up against the wall, folding her legs beneath her and resting her head on the cold floor, staring off with smoldering eyes. Her mind played it over and over again in her head; _Avocet is dead. Luar'ka lives. One day, you'll see me again. I swear it._


	8. Eight

Eight

Than'ja sighed, rubbing his right eye carefully despite the claw. His head was starting to hurt. He wasn't sure if it was eye strain from so much close up work or that concussion he'd received the month before. He and Ikthya'de had gotten into it over something. _Pauk,_ he couldn't even remember _what_ they'd been arguing about now, but his younger twin could throw a serious punch.

He hissed in annoyed pain when said twin came into the room and smacked him on the back of the head. Ikthya'de winced at the sudden aggressiveness from his brother and moved toward his side of the room, "Are you feeling well, _Mei'hswei_?" he asked, jumping up to sit on the workbench, leaning forward to look at his brother concernedly.

" _Sei'i,_ " Than'ja said to placate him, "Just a headache. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. We took some food from storage for Kar'kha's new 'pet'."

Than'ja sighed, clicking his mandibles a few times, "Thwei'ja is not going to be happy."

"Not to worry. He is furious."

"You sound pleased." Than'ja said dryly. Truth be told, Ikthya'de did appear to be quite amused by the whole thing. But this wasn't really out of character for him. Ikthya'de was always a bit quirky. Even so, while his twin was fairly laid back and actually quite jovial, the Yautja sitting before him could be as fierce as Cetanu when he wanted to be. It was sometimes hard to believe whenever his latent quirks decided to make themselves known. It was easier for Than'ja to remember, especially looking at the spiraled, snaking scar that coiled around Ikthya'de's right arm. His eyes narrowed at the memory of accompanying their sire on a hunt for a confirmed Badblood. Ikthya'de had gotten that scar from the whip belonging to the convicted murderer, who had been _aiming_ for Than'ja's neck.

" _Mei'hswei_?"

Than'ja huffed a heavy sigh and tossed his head, "Where is Kar'kha?" he asked, changing the subject. Ikthya'de regarded him with a blank stare for a moment, but shook it off at the mention of their little brother, "I put him in charge of the control board for a short time. Thwei'ja is repairing the coolant system in the sub level. Do you know what our next assignment is?"

Than'ja nodded, "We are to investigate claims of _kiande amedha_ sightings on _Illmianyar_. Anything caught is to be brought back to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ upon death. Whole."

" _Pauk_." Ikthya'de snarled angrily at the command from the higher ups. No collecting trophies from _these_ kills.

"If you cooperate, they may return the corpse to you after their investigation. Assuming you find anything." Than'ja said, unable to hide the amusement in his voice. Ikthya'de sneered at him and reached over to pick up a spare comp he was fixing up. He opened his box of tools and set in to work. Than'ja watched him a moment, finding it oddly hilarious how the only thing his brother took genuinely seriously besides trophies and personal threat to himself or his brothers was his fascination with metal and machines. It could be said that he felt more comfortable hunting down mechanical bugs than he did wild creatures. Watching him work was somewhat therapeutic. Feeling relaxed, Than'ja closed his eyes for a while, dozing off while sitting up and listening to the faint clicks and pings of Ikthya'de working on the comp.

/ooo/

Kar'kha sat in the cockpit, slouched in the pilot's chair and bored out of his mind. Ikthya'de knew perfectly well that he hated handling the controls and he still dumped the responsibility on him anyway. Maybe it was his way of getting back at him for shaking up the status quo.

He sighed, running his finger across the board and bringing up the star coordinates they were currently following. It was going to be a relatively short trip, all things considered. But still, it had been a while since he'd been to _Illmianyar_. He'd never even met the residents there personally. The only thing he knew about them were that they were some of the extremely few allies the Yautja actually bothered to maintain peaceful relations with. Actually, now that he thought about it, he didn't even really know what they looked like.

He was busy pondering this latest assignment and its protocols when the alert went off on the screen informing him of an incoming transmission. He muted the signal quickly before opening the message. He blinked in surprise when he saw none other than his sire contacting them.

" _Kar'kha_ ," the older Yautja greeted, " _I am pleased to see you at the helm for a change. Perhaps you will be a useful navigator one day after all_."

Kar'kha grumbled irritably at the veiled insult. His sire wasn't well known for his tact.

"Me'vi-te," Kar'ha returned the greeting, biting back the anger as best he could, "We are currently on our route to _Illmianyar_ as requested."

" _Good._ "

"If I might ask, why are you contacting us, rather than the Clan Leaders?" Kar'kha asked carefully, aware that such a question could be considered out of line. His sire was an arbitrator, usually sent out to hunt down Badbloods and keep order within their boundaries. It _was_ a bit unusual for him to be relaying messages regarding orders from the Clan Leaders. There would be no other reason for their sire to contact them. Fortunately, Me'vi-te seemed to understand the reasoning behind Kar'kha's inquiry and let the insubordination slide.

" _I have been requested personally to oversee this mission,_ " Me'vi-te said firmly, " _The Elders have full confidence that the four of you are more than enough to handle this particular assignment, keeping to the assumption that nothing has gone awry on the planet. I am here to serve as backup, and nothing more. I shall be in stationary orbit around the planet until the mission's successful completion._ "

Translated; the Elders believed that Thwei'ja was competent to handle the mission, but that it was a bad idea to send a relatively newly Blooded Warrior on a potential silencing mission to hold the peace on an allied planet. Me'vi-te was there to take over in case his youngest living offspring fouled things up for the group. In other words, he still held very little respect in the eyes of his superiors. Kar'kha held back a snarl of distaste and looked back up at the screen.

"I have not failed yet and I have no intention of beginning now." he said as firmly as he could without crossing the line into blunt impudence. Though tactless and occasionally highly aggressive toward his descendants, Me'vi-te had become fairly protective of his offspring in recent decades, most likely due to how many he'd lost to Cetanu. This was an advantage Kar'kha knew he couldn't afford to lose while he was still so fresh to the hunt. He knew he needed to maintain respect at all costs toward his sire, at least for the moment.

Me'vi-te looked pleased with his reply, nodding his approval, " _I should like nothing more than to remain idle in stationary orbit, Kar'kha. See that you hold your word._ "

Translation; Me'vi-te had been heavily overworked recently and desperately needed some down time. Kar'kha resisted the urge to to chuckle; even the best Yautja needed rest periods and his sire was obeying his orders while hoping to himself that he wouldn't be called upon for action.

"You will not be disappointed." he assured him.

The screen abruptly cleared, returning the star coordinates to their place. Kar'kha was left alone with his thoughts once again. He turned to glance toward the door, hoping to see one of his brothers or Thwei'ja coming to take over. Of course, no such luck. He growled to himself in irritation and leaned back, crossing his arms and gazing emptily at the screen. Why did he even have to watch the controls? The auto pilot did all that and then some! It was the one thing on the dilapidated ship that _hadn't_ failed at least once.

He froze. He could feel the spines on his forehead beginning to rise in agitation when he caught the sound of footsteps. But they sounded too light to be any of the other Yautja on board. He held perfectly still, his eyes narrowed as he listened to them coming closer. He waited until he judged them to be directly behind him before leaping to his feet with a roar, whirling angrily. Just as he'd expected, Luar'ka jumped back in the doorway, her wings spread and her teeth bared as she hissed at him. He lashed out and snatched her arm, bodily dragging her back down the corridor while she attempted to pull out of his iron grip. Even though she was doomed to fail, he had to admit her strength was impressive. He stopped outside the storeroom and hurled her inside, stamping in after her and shutting the door. She landed easily in a crouched position; he could see she'd been practicing again. His rage only grew, not because of her ambition, but because he was oddly proud of her ambition and he did his best to quash that feeling while he focused on his anger toward her.

 _(("You are not to roam outside of this chamber!"))_ he bellowed at her.

Instantly, he realized his mistake when her brows creased in confusion, the defiant glare on her face still very much in evidence. Of course she couldn't understand him. Actually, forgetting that matter for a second, how had she even gotten out of the room in the first place?

He looked around, turning slightly as he studied the layout of the storeroom. There were no other doors, but it did have vents filtering oxygen and nitrogen to match his homeworld's atmosphere within the confines of the ship. It occurred to him vaguely that she didn't appear to have a problem acclimating to this new mixture. While it wasn't that different from the _N'-ithya's_ atmosphere, it would still be noticeable to anyone unused to breathing it.

His eye caught something different and he approached the vent in the wall. It was just an open circular hole in the wall, small enough to filter air through, but apparently big enough to allow a small Avian female through it if she concentrated. His eyes narrowed, his mandibles working as he started growling warningly. He turned to face her, his expression forming a deep scowl. She sat on the floor, undeterred from his venomous glare as she flexed her wings in and out slowly.

If this wasn't a sign of things to come, he didn't know what was. He was starting to wonder if he'd made the right choice or not. She was far more stubborn than he'd given her credit for.

There wasn't a thing he could do to close the vent without suffocating her, so he was forced to leave it alone. But as he turned to look at it again, he glanced back at her and snarled warningly, hoping she got the message. Though he doubted it.

He stalked toward the door, his irritation so great that the spines on his forehead were standing straight up.

"I want to learn!" she exclaimed suddenly, stopping him. He turned around, looking at her with his head cocked to the side. She hunched her shoulders slightly and stared him down, "I want to learn how to speak your language," she said, "I want to know what you're telling me."

Kar'kha understood a scant amount of _ooman_ speech himself. Clearly, she knew more than he did. She was speaking it quite well. But he was able to pick up a little of what she was saying, enough to understand what she wanted. Without a word, he turned and left the room, shutting and locking the door behind him, despite how little good it would do now that she'd found an escape route.

Luar'ka watched him go with dejection, wishing he'd understood what she was talking about. She needed something to do to keep her mind busy. She was allowed out once a day to use a water station kept aboard the ship. Kar'kha was usually the one who escorted her. The rest of the time during the voyage to the new planet, she was locked in the storage room. It had been two days since they'd left the Earth. Luar'ka was still weak, but a regular food supply was slowly replenishing her strength. On top of that, consuming the raw meat she'd been given seemed to have given her double the energy she'd normally possessed. Her mind was full of clarity and was becoming quite sharp. That's how she thought to try that vent. It worked, but Kar'kha hadn't been happy. She supposed she should count her blessings that she'd only run into him and not that larger one who appeared to be his superior.

She started climbing the walls again to stave off boredom. Hanging by her claws from the steam pipes, she crossed her arms and watched the door, hoping someone would wander past. No such luck of course and she dropped down when the blood began rushing to her head. She couldn't even stare out the window for comfort, since all there was to see were stars racing past far too quickly to watch for long. Luar'ka hadn't known that the night sky extended this far past the Earth. She wished she could ask Kar'kha more about this strange place outside of the sky. But they could barely understand one another, let alone converse idly. She sighed, flexing her wings and wandering in circles.

She about jumped out of her skin when she heard the door slide open and she whirled, claws bared and ready. She relaxed when she saw it was Kar'kha standing there, watching her warily. They stared one another down for a few moments and he twitched his claws somewhat restlessly. Glancing down the corridor, he stepped inside the room and shut the door. Luar'ka noticed he was holding something in one hand as he moved closer to her and bade her sit down, jabbing one claw down toward the floor. She did as ordered, folding her legs back beneath her. He knelt in front of her and set the object on the floor between them. It looked a lot like the small device he wore on his wrist, but this one didn't appear attachable to anything. He pressed a few buttons on it and it blinked to life, flashing a multitude of red symbols on its screen. Luar'ka watched, fascinated as, with a few combinations of buttons, Kar'kha brought up several columns of different symbols that appeared to be lined up phonetically. She realized with a jolt that these were languages, including her own judging by some of the words that flew by. She even recognized the two words that made up her own name as she recalled from the drawings he'd made back on Earth.

He slid the screen across to her and then sat hunched slightly as he watched her expectantly. She hesitantly interacted with the device, amazed that as soon as she touched the screen, the image suddenly crackled and spun up into the air, floating in space above the device and continuing to scroll up and out of sight along an invisible boundary line. She hesitantly touched it and the scrolling ceased. She learned quickly that this image could be manipulated with her hands as if it were a tangible object. She forced herself to start breathing again despite her sheer amazement.

She glanced up at him. It was hard to tell with his face, but his expression appeared somewhat peeved. His mandibles worked a bit before he let out a rattling sigh. "Nnnnooo...orrrrrrre...essssCapessss." he growled, his voice gravelly and highly uncomfortable sounding. It was like every word he spoke physically hurt him.

"I was bored." she complained. He watched her a moment and then reached out to place his hand on her head. Before she could react, he suddenly dug his talons into her scalp, applying pressure. Luar'ka yelped and clawed at his hand, "Let go! Let go! Oww! Let _go_!" she shrieked.

He finally released her, grumbling low under his breath. Luar'ka rubbed her sore head, glowering daggers at him with her teeth bared. She hissed and then returned to the screen, "Can I keep this?" she asked.

" _Sei-i_ ," he trilled, "Nnnnoooo...Tell...Thwei'ja."

He stood up, moving toward the door without another word. He stepped out, shutting it behind him. Luar'ka rolled her eyes, "Like he even acknowledges me anyway." she grumbled, turning her gaze back to the screen. She locked her mind into the rows after rows after rows of language data on this strange device, muttering to herself as she connected words to symbols in her mind. She bit her arm and used her blood to copy symbols onto the ground, gradually learning their meanings. Learning to pronounce the words was more difficult. She got the feeling that a lot of it was composed of sounds created through those bizarre clicks and growls they made when they spoke. She supposed she had plenty of time to practice, though. It would be five more days, or rotations as they called them, before they arrived at their destination.

Luar'ka made herself comfortable in the scratchy hide she'd been given. It was going to be a long trip.

/ooo/

Two days passed. At least, she felt like it was two days. Honestly, it felt more like four or five. Luar'ka was growing increasingly restless and the rest of her wayward companions were noticing. She'd been pleasantly surprised when one of the other Yautja came into the storeroom the day before and stayed for a good length of time subtly teaching her enunciation in their language. Luar'ka hadn't met this one yet, but he called himself Ikthya'de. Next to Kar'kha, his was the only name she could even remotely pronounce yet. She was quickly learning to tell them apart by their coloring. Kar'kha was a red gold color while the older two she learned were brothers were both a dark forest green that appeared to be black in the low light. Thwei'ja, the eldest male who seemed to want little to do with her, was a deep, solid red with dark patterns along his shoulders, offsetting the off-white, speckled coloring of his inner arms and thighs, the hollow of his neck and his stomach. Somewhat unlike the other three, who had prominent scars here and there, Thwei'ja's large body was absolutely covered in scars, a testament to all of the battles he'd been through. Luar'ka made sure to give him a wide berth whenever she saw him.

Ikthya'de seemed to be pleased with the progress she was making in learning their language and she discovered to her great excitement that she too was capable of growls and clicks of her own, though they sounded different than those of the Yautja since she was using her vocal cords to make every sound instead of mandibles. But she learned to utilize her voice in such a way that she could mimic those sounds of her companions.

Ikthya'de sat in front of her and pointed to her with one finger, moving his hand in a counter clockwise circle. He was telling her to repeat the words she had just said. She did so, practicing proper pronunciation as she did. If he nodded, then she pronounced it right. If he shook his head, she was wrong and if he grumbled, she was getting closer.

After a while, Luar'ka sighed and folded her legs beneath her, her wings twitching from fatigue. She looked up at Ikthya'de, screwing her eyes shut as she tried to pronounce one of the words she'd learned; " _J...Ju...Ju'dha..._ " she said clumsily. But as she opened her eyes and looked up at him, she was surprised to hear him emitting a deep rumble, flaring his mandibles out briefly before tucking them back against his face. He stood up and abruptly left the room, shutting the door behind him. Luar'ka was left to wonder what she had done wrong as she moved back against the wall and began picking at her wings, moping. After several quiet minutes went by, she jumped when she heard the door open again and turned to see Ikthya'de approaching her. He knelt down and handed her something. She took it and saw that it was a large cup made of some kind of smooth stone. To her amazement, it was filled with water. She looked up at him curiously, cocking her head as she'd seen them do when they were inquiring on something.

" _Jud'ha, sei-i?_ " he said, an amused glint in his eyes. Luar'ka smiled as she realized that he had understood what she needed and complied, " _Sei-i_!" she exclaimed excitedly. He grumbled at her, meaning her pronunciation was still a bit off. She chuckled sheepishly and thirstily drank her water, setting the cup aside and facing him again with renewed determination.

/ooo/

"Ikthya'de, what in the name of the _Paya_ has gotten into you?"

Kar'kha had confronted his brother while the two of them were adjusting their ship's trajectory to avoid an asteroid field en route to the planet. The older Yautja continued to input data into the computer while pointedly ignoring his brother at first. He finally responded once his delicate task had been finished, "We have asked the same of you, _Mei'hswei_ ," he said, "If you are planning to train that suckling as you intended, do you not agree that it would be more beneficial if she understood what you are telling her to begin with? Four rotations have passed and she only _now_ knows how to ask for water."

Kar'kha bristled, realizing that his brother was indeed correct in that he should have been more prudent in teaching Luar'ka their language. However stubborn pride kept him from admitting the truth in that statement. He knew his brother knew he was right. Fortunately, Ikthya'de didn't press the matter. Instead, he changed the subject slightly, "What do you plan to do with her when we reach _Illmianyar?_ "

"I cannot simply leave her on the ship. Thwei'ja is enough of a concern as it is." Kar'kha admitted as he pulled up the map, "She will come along on a tether."

"She is a _Yau'bi_ , then." Ikthya'de joked and Kar'kha realized he'd walked right into that one. He sighed, "Stay in your own affairs, Ikthya'de." he snarled.

"So if the Matriarch were to find out about your little charge, you would tell her the same thing, runt?"

" _Ell-osde' pauk!_ "

Than'ja walked in just in time to hear Kar'kha's outburst and Ikthya'de's resulting hysterics, cackling madly at the controls at how many of his brother's buttons he'd successfully pushed. Than'ja shook his head, stamped over and whacked Ikthya'de so hard he flew forward and knocked his face against the control panel. Grunting, he sat up, snarling his irritation at his brother, "What was that for!?" he roared, his mandibles flaring.

"Enough with the jokes, Ikthya'de! We have a mission to focus on!"

"Enough with the backhanded attacks, Than'ja! Challenge me foremost this time and hold your honor!" Ikthya'de snarled, jumping to his feet and shoving his brother's shoulder. Than'ja staggered back slightly, his eyes narrowing as his mandibles flared angrily. He returned the challenge, slamming his brother back so hard he fell back against the panel.

"Stop it!" Kar'kha snapped, though his brothers had already started going at it. This was neither the time nor place for a fight. Ikthya'de knocked Than'ja to the ground and Kar'kha leaped to his feet, trying to get in between them to stop the scuffle. He may have been taller than his older brothers, but he was also leaner and not as heavily built. This made him a lightweight as far as Yautja standards went. He was knocked backwards by a stray punch Than'ja threw that missed Ikthya'de, who countered with another tackle that sent them both down. Kar'kha picked himself up off the floor, feeling his skull aching like mad from the blow. His brothers' furious snarling at one another grew louder and Than'ja rolled to avoid a crushing blow Ikthya'de hurled down toward him, causing him to strike the metal floor with a resounding clamor that rang through the hull of the ship. Than'ja leaped at his brother and pummeled him backward, pinning him in place with his knee as he threw a single bash at his forehead. Ikthya'de lashed his arm up to block it, lashing out to grab Than'ja's tendrils and drag him off of him, causing the elder Yautja to shriek in fury and pain as he staggered back. However, the younger brother barely had time to get to his feet before Than'ja smashed his arm across his face, sending him sprawling, momentarily stunning him. He started growling savagely, blood dripping from a fierce open gash running down the skin of his right mandibles as he struggled to his feet.

All three brothers were startled at the sudden bellowing roar that echoed through the ship and the fight instantly calmed as their heads turned to the doorway where Thwei'ja stormed in, fists clenched and mandibles spread in rage, "THAT IS ENOUGH!" he bellowed, eying them each in turn, " _S'yuitde_ , fighting like a litter of Yaut pups. Return to your posts, at once!"

All three did as they were told, knowing better than to argue or keep the fight going. Thwei'ja had once been Hunt Brothers with their sire many centuries before. He was probably skilled enough to take all three of them on at once and still have energy to spare.

Shaking his head, rumbling under his breath, Thwei'ja headed to the central computer, checking the coordinates, "Approximately one rotation until arrival," he announced, "I still have repairs to finish in the lower level. I trust there will be no more incidents...?" he trailed off ominously.

Kar'kha listened warily as Thwei'ja stalked out, still grumbling. That was a close one. He was sure his brothers had had it when their fight attracted Thwei'ja. He sighed, shaking his head to clear it and scattering the black tresses on his head. The few rings he possessed already clinked together at the movement.

He stood up, "I am leaving for a while," he said.

"Remember to be present for the landing." Ikthya'de reminded him quietly from his place at the sensors. Kar'kha nodded, clapped his brother on the shoulder and shook him lightly before leaving.

Ikthya'de watched him go and then returned his gaze to the screen. He worked his mandibles a few times, his eyes flicking across the screen to read the various strings of data that flashed on and off of it. He glanced warily to his brother, sitting at the computer on the other side of the cockpit, entering the orbital stationing data they'd need for when they entered the gravitational pull of the planet. Than'ja noticed him staring and glared up at him irritably, saying nothing. Ikthya'de bowed his head, turning away, "...Forgive me, _Mei'hswei_ ," he mumbled, "I let my temper get the better of me..."

Than'ja sighed heavily, reactivating the auto pilot for the remainder of the voyage, "The next time we share c _'nlip_ and it clouds your senses, you can let _me_ win the resulting fight." he said somewhat tartly, chuckling at his younger brother. Ikthya'de couldn't resist laughing at his brother's humor, successfully quashing any remaining anger they had for each other right then.

"I am not certain how well this deal will hold up, _Mei'hswei_ ," he said, "After all, you seem to lose your mind drinking it much more swiftly than I do."

"That only proves I am correct in my thinking." Than'ja countered.

" _Ell-osde' pauk..._." Ikthya'de grumbled, his mandibles tucked close in an annoyed smirk. Than'ja chuckled, "And you used to wonder where Kar'kha learned that."

"It is possible we are a poor influence on him."

"Possible? I almost feel sorry for that suckling he has dragged aboard." Than'ja said incredulously.

The tension eased, both brothers fell into a comfortable silence, the brawl from before already water under the bridge.

/ooo/

Luar'ka was still sifting through the information in the little databank when she heard the door slide open. She lifted her head, shaking her down from her eyes as she sat up straighter.

" _N'jauka_ ," she said somewhat clumsily, albeit confidently when Kar'kha appeared in the doorway. He visibly jolted to hear his own tongue coming from the young Avian female. In the span of just a few rotations, Ikthya'de had taught her quite a bit more than he'd expected.

" _G'kaun-yte_..." he returned the greeting, stepping inside. After the scuffle in the cockpit, he'd gone to the cold storage to fetch some meat for Luar'ka. He kept her on the same feeding schedule as he and his comrades, once every couple of days or so. So far, she seemed to be acclimating well to this routine. In any event, she appeared to be a lot healthier than she had when he'd found her. She still looked half-starved, but her body heat wasn't as low and her movements were less languid. He'd also been right to hold onto the word 'Avian' when it came to searching up data on her kind. He'd tried it again and, after spelling it wrong a few times, he had finally come across snippets of information regarding the strange winged creatures. He set the meat down in front of her and watched as she tore into it hungrily. For one thing, (this he'd found to be obvious) the Avians were registered as predators in the wild environments of their home planet and were notoriously hard to track due to their airborne lifestyles. According to the records, only a handful of Yautja had ever successfully brought down an Avian, much less even seen one up close. The computer also had records of supposed special abilities the creatures had, where some of the more advanced and aged individuals were so powerful they could even control the air around them. Their estimated flight speed and ground speed were indeterminate, but judging from how swift Luar'ka already was while in such a raw state, he had no doubt that she'd rival the _kiande amedha_ one day in raw agility.

Luar'ka finished her meal and set about to grooming herself and her feathers. He watched her, eyes narrowed as he flexed his talons. He'd worn his wrist guards this time while approaching her. He wanted to try something. He shifted slightly, but she didn't appear to notice.

He lashed his arm out, unsheathing his wrist blades in a single fluid motion toward her throat. She hissed and shot backwards, landing on all fours several feet away from him, her face dark and her teeth bared. A low growl rumbled out of her, similar to the sounds made by his own kind. He stood up, extending the blades on his other arm as he eyed her carefully. She straightened up, her eyes widening and her wings unfolding. As he drew nearer to her, she suddenly jumped back a few more feet, landing delicately by the wall. He continued his advance on her, wanting to test just how quick she truly was. Luar'ka snapped something in her own language at him, but he wasn't able to understand her without his bio-mask and the words she said hadn't been words he knew. He continued to move closer to her, preparing to launch another false swipe.

Suddenly, she let out a grisly hiss, doubling over. It happened in the blink of an eye as she suddenly retched violently, throwing the meat she'd just eaten back up into a grisly mess on the floor as she quickly jumped up against the wall, catching the steam pipes connected to the ceiling and scrambling out of his immediate reach. Kar'kha stared at the mess and then at her in disbelief, wondering what _that_ had been about. She continued to hang upside down, growling warningly at him while he stayed put, studying her calmly. He'd put this test in motion while her guard had been down during her feeding. He figured she'd be the most vulnerable during that time. But he hadn't counted on something like _this_ happening. Part of his training before his _chiva_ had also including learning about different prey his kind often tackled. One such little tidbit he'd remembered reading was on some of the flying creatures the Yautja occasionally came across. He recalled that any creature born for flight is built lightly and delicately, needing to weigh as little as possible in order to attain powered flight. Since the Avians were quite a bit larger than most flying creatures he'd encountered, he wondered if that had been a defense mechanism to lighten her body in preparation for immediate flight during an emergency. If that were indeed the case, then he made a mental note not to try this test again right after Luar'ka had eaten.

He sheathed his wrist blades and left the room without a word or a glance back. Still hanging from the ceiling, Luar'ka glared at his retreating back, snarling viciously at him as she dropped down to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her aching middle and sighed, eying the remains of her meal. Given that he'd treated this whole scenario as nothing out of the ordinary, Luar'ka started to wonder exactly what she'd gotten herself into by joining the Yautja.

She sighed and moved to the window, already feeling her stomach start to ache from being tricked into violent regurgitation. She'd seen it happen to her kind before during the couple of human ambushes she'd been a part of. Expelling the contents of the stomach dispelled extra weight and enabled take offs more easily. Rail had explained it to her long ago. Had Kar'kha known about it and wanted to test her, or was that a test and the result was just an accident?

Sitting down against the wall, gazing out the window, she groaned irritably, "He could have told me what he was trying to do." she growled to herself.

/ooo/

The com-link had finally been repaired, though quite late compared to what Thwei'ja had initially wanted. Sitting alone in the cockpit, he activated the link, waiting impatiently for a reply. The screen flashed to life and the face of a much older Yautja appeared, looking somewhat peeved at the late disturbance, " _Thwei'ja,_ " he greeted stiffly, " _For what reason are you contacting me?_ "

"Sending an update, Elder Sechinde. We shall begin atmospheric descent on _Illmianyar_ within ten _dach'ne_."

The Elder nodded, his single remaining eye blinking slowly, " _Thank you for informing me. The Matriarch was becoming impatient for news_."

"The nature of this mission is fully understood," Thwei'ja assured him, "Are we to make contact with the Illmorein?"

" _Do not initiate contact, but do not reject it, should the situation arise._ " Elder Sechinde advised, " _We would prefer for this mission to stay out of sight for the time being._ "

"Understood. We will stay out of sight. There is also one other development you should know of," Thwei'ja continued carefully, knowing it was better to bring it up now rather than later, "One of my comrades on this mission has taken an apprentice, an individual who captured his attention during our visit to _N'-ithya_."

The Elder raised his head, his interest fully captured, " _An apprentice_." he repeated, " _Of what species?_ "

"Avian." Thwei'ja answered coolly, curious to see what the Elder's reaction would be. Clear surprise registered on the senior Yautja's face and he clicked his mandibles together a few times as he rumbled ponderously to himself, " _Hmm...and here I believed they had all become extinct._ " he mumbled.

"So you have heard of them." Thwei'ja stated, his eyes narrowing. Elder Sechinde was one of the oldest Yautja on the clan ship, having survived for nearly eight hundred years as a splendid warrior. Now far past his prime, Elder Sechinde was no longer able to hunt, instead using his time to train selected Youngbloods he deemed worthy of passing skills onto. Thwei'ja, one of his many offspring, was one such fortunate individual. It didn't surprise the younger Yautja at all to know his sire had come across these beings at one time or another.

" _I have_ ," Sechinde answered grimly, " _I currently possess a trophy from such a beast. Two exist on the clan ship. I am aware of five in total existence within our vast territory. However, any generations more recent than my own have not been fortunate enough to cross paths with them. Ooman interference was high; their numbers are now quite few, and for this, we no longer hunt them. The last sighting was many centuries ago and we presumed them dead. You say one of your comrades has such a creature on your ship_?"

"Yes," Thwei'ja replied, "He claims he discovered her following her successful attack to a _kiande amedha_."

" _Did she kill the beast_?"

"No. Only injured it. Enough to discourage it."

" _And the age of this apprentice_?"

"Juvenile."

Sechinde frowned, his eyes narrowing and his mandibles tucking close to his face in a scowl, " _Which comrade chose to make such a brash decision?_ "

"Kar'kha, Elder Sechinde."

His sire's expression darkened even further at the mention of such a newly Blooded Warrior taking on an apprentice. Such an undertaking was usually reserved for Clan Leaders and Elders who had the expertise to offer such talented other-species individuals. Of course, apprentices rarely lasted very long in their society. Thwei'ja knew of only two that had survived more than five seasons. Currently, both still lived on the homeworld, at least to his knowledge.

"Shall I dispose of her?" Thwei'ja ventured. Elder Sechinde shook his head with a heavy sigh of fatigue and exasperation, " _H'ko_..." he growled, " _She is to remain alive. The responsibility of her care and training shall be limited to Kar'kha. Assuming her species may one day return from the brink, they will once again make fine prey for our clan. I am content to learn that my previous assumption of their status was proven incorrect. However, I want to see this creature for myself when you arrive back on the Jag'dja'd atoll._ "

Thwei'ja grumbled low, "Very well. I will inform Kar'kha."

" _I have sent Me'vi-te into stationary orbit around Illmianyar for the duration of your mission. You are to contact him for backup if the need arises._ "

The screen went black as the transmission clicked out. Thwei'ja flexed his talons angrily at the mention of his former Hunt Brother's presence in this part of the galaxy. Though they'd once been close, Thwei'ja and Me'vi-te no longer saw eye to eye on many matters and very rarely communicated anymore. The last time they'd seen one another was during the mating ceremony when all members of the clan were required to return to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ for its duration. It was enough now that Thwei'ja was stationed on a scout ship with three of Me'vi-te's offspring, two of whom routinely drove him up the wall. When Ikthya'de wasn't shirking his duties in favor of tinkering with the engine, Kar'kha was rounding up random creatures out of misplaced fascination. The only remotely normal one was Than'ja, and even he had his moments where he tired of manning the controls and vanished into his medical training for hours at a time.

"Why does Me'vi-te not have any _normal_ pups?" Thwei'ja grumbled to himself, slouching in his chair wearily. Of all the younger Yautja he could have been assigned with, why did it have to be three oddballs like them?

He stood up and turned for the door, deciding it was time for one of the others to take a shift at the controls. He froze in his tracks, eyes wide at the doorway.

That strange little female was standing there, staring warily at him, her teeth bared and her wings spread. He held her gaze for a moment, inwardly amazed that he'd never even heard her approach. His eyes narrowed dangerously and he shook off the feeling, flaring his mandibles and his back arching as he roared furiously at her. It had the desired effect and she turned tail and took off down the corridor, vanishing within seconds on those strange legs of hers. Thwei'ja balled his fists at his sides, willing the rage to leave his shaking body. He'd been ordered by Elder Sechinde to allow the youngling to live. An endangered species formerly on their list of prey, with the hope to one day place them there again, on top of being female made her relatively safe from most Yautja who followed the ethical code ingrained into their beings through years of rigorous training. Even so, she needed to learn where her place truly was in this system, and to Thwei'ja, it was as low as any insect. She had no business among his people and he was quite confident she'd eventually realize this fact on her own.

But a little encouragement never hurt.


	9. Nine

Nine

Luar'ka was shaken awake roughly when the ship began to rattle and quake ferociously. Her eyes snapped open and she leaped to her feet, rushing to the window in a panic as she stared out into the black, now not so black void. The light of a nearby sun blinded her for a moment until an enormous shadow crossed into its rays, blocking it from view. Her eyes went wide as this shadow drew nearer and she realized that it was a massive planet.

 _And they were steering toward it!_

"Ah!" she cried when the ship became once more engulfed in flames. Again, she had no way of understanding that this meant they'd begun atmospheric descent. She backed away from the window, quaking fearfully as she watched the outside of the ship grow hotter and hotter, the light from the fire nearly blinding her. The ship continued to shake ferociously and she imagined it breaking apart and flinging her into the deep, black nothingness she'd grown used to over the past several days.

However this never happened. Gradually, the shaking died down, replaced by the constant roaring of the engines as the ship stabilized itself in the atmosphere, adjusting for wind currents to avoid scuttling badly. She crept over to the window again, peering out curiously. Below, she could see a vast expanse of blue water stretching as far as she could see in one direction, but in the other direction she could see a stretch of green and brown, signaling the approach of land. Her first thought was that they'd circled back to Earth. But she shook it out of her head, knowing there was no way this could be true.

Luar'ka turned, eying the vent she'd used a few times as an escape route. She knew she had to be careful using it much more. Thwei'ja might just seal it up on her and she'd suffocate.

Gradually, the rumbling stopped. The ship seemed to be weightless now as she watched the ground move past outside the window. They weren't descending any longer, even though they were still moving. It felt weird, but Luar'ka found herself fascinated all the same. To think that other planets like Earth existed out in the vast reaches of the night sky. Her clan would never believe this if they saw it. But Luar'ka believed it for sure. She was looking at it, marveling at it and looking forward to stepping down onto it.

That is, if her wayward companions gave her the chance to.

She jumped when the door suddenly slid open, revealing Kar'kha standing there staring ominously at her. It occurred to her then; were they planning to dump her on this planet? Was she never going back to Earth? Instinctively, she backed away from him, growling low in her throat. He clicked something to her in his own language and motioned her to her feet. When she hesitated, he snarled viciously, spurring her into action. She scrambled up, her heart roaring her pulse through her ears as he approached her. Wide eyed, she watched as he grabbed her right wrist and attached some sort of metal clasp to it. He raised his left arm and activated the device attached to it, typing something in rapidly. To Luar'ka's amazement, a bright red light erupted from the gauntlet on his arm and snaked into the air like a wispy spiderweb. It coiled toward her and she watched as it fastened itself to the clasp on her wrist, forming some kind of connection between them. She frowned at him, tilting her head. He grumbled something she didn't understand and then stepped back, yanking on the tether. To her surprise, the tug knocked her off balance as her arm was pulled forward. It may have been a tether composed of energy, but it was stronger than it looked.

"Kar'kha, what's going on?" she asked. He didn't answer her of course and she sighed, not really having expected him to. He tugged the tether again and she followed him out of the storeroom. She looked around curiously. The corridors were always a little misty and smelled odd compared to air and mist from Earth. But today, the mist seemed heavier than normal. She glanced up at Kar'kha curiously as he walked in front of her, his pace slowed somewhat to allow for her much shorter stride compared to his own. She flexed her wings in mild trepidation, wondering where they were going.

She heard footsteps approaching from one of the other corridors leading to the cockpit and looked up as Ikthya'de and Thwei'ja approached, both donning intricate armor covering their chests, shoulders, shins and thighs, each also wearing sturdy metal gauntlets on their wrists. Both of them were wearing their masks as well, rendering their already barely readable expressions flat out incomprehensible. Fidgeting with her tunic, Luar'ka listened intently as they began chattering to one another, a flurry of clicks, growls and snarls that blended together seamlessly into their complex language. However, thanks to her studies and Ikthya'de's coaching, she found she was able to pick up scant amounts of what was being said;

 _((...Find...do not...back...confront...no...))_

She scrunched her eyes shut, struggling to concentrate on their words as she pieced together the conversation. She was so wrapped up in her focus that she didn't even notice when they stopped talking and glanced over at her curiously. Thwei'ja tilted his head, glancing over at Kar'kha, _((What is she doing?))_

Kar'kha cast a quick look down at his odd apprentice and shook his head, _((I do not know for sure.))_

 _((She is listening to us.))_

Both of them snapped toward Ikthya'de in amazement and the motion startled Luar'ka back into reality, jumping slightly and moving back behind Kar'kha when she noticed Thwei'ja had drawn nearer to her without noticing. They began chattering again, this time too fast for her to pick up much.

 _((Listening!? And how is THAT possible?))_ Thwei'ja barked, eying Kar'kha suspiciously. Ikthya'de piped up to his brother's defense, _((Now spare him your anger, Thwei'ja. I have been instructing the young female to our dialect. She is quite the fast learner.))_

 _((Thei-de...,))_ Thwei'ja groaned, shaking his head. He snapped back up to Ikthya'de, _((I will have to report this.))_

 _((There will be no issue, Thwei'ja. She will have to learn at some point.))_

 _((Ki'cte. Go. Now.))_ he snarled, sounding agitated. Luar'ka looked back and forth from him to Ikthya'de, who looked fairly pleased with himself even behind the mask.

Ikthya'de moved past Thwei'ja and glanced briefly at Luar'ka. He tapped her shoulder as he passed and moved through the door and down the metal steps out of sight. She watched him go, shifting slightly on her feet as she glanced up at Thwei'ja, standing stock still with his fists clenched at his sides. She raised her gaze briefly to his hidden face before looking away quickly. He barked something toward the cockpit, receiving a growling reply from Than'ja who was going to stay aboard to keep watch. She felt the tug on her wrist as Kar'kha moved down the ramp, lightly dragging her with him. Luar'ka followed clumsily at first, her claws sliding precariously on the metal as she stepped slowly down. Once she found herself on hard ground again, she tug her claws into the soil and sighed contentedly, having missed this pleasant feeling. Kar'kha looked over at her as she did this, his head tilted in curiosity. He watched as she stretched her wings, grunting from the exertion and exhaling a deep sigh, raising her face to the sky to squint at the sunlight streaming down.

 _((Kar'kha!))_

Kar'kha turned at the sound of Ikthya'de addressing him, making his way over, _((Thwei'ja has ordered us to split up. I am to scour the west sector toward the mountains. You have been assigned the north. Keep in mind, this is where the settlement is located. We are to avoid contact with the residents here if at all possible, but we are not to reject it if we should be spotted.))_

Kar'kha nodded, _((I understand. But I have never actually witnessed any of the residents here firsthand.))_

 _((No need to worry; the locals are utterly harmless. As such, they are not to be harmed. Of course, this should go without saying.))_ Ikthya'de said somewhat dryly. Kar'kha could practically hear the smirk in his voice. He knew enough that the locals on this planet were currently some of the extremely scarce allies the Yautja maintained connections with. Thus, they were to be protected on occasion. This was the purpose of this mission; to make sure that the settlement here went undisturbed by threats. Kar'kha knew with experience he would eventually come to learn why the residents of _Illmianyar_ were held in fair esteem by his and a handful of other clans.

He watched his brother head off in the western course he'd set, disappearing into the trees flanking the grassy clearing they'd landed in. Originally, the plan had been to establish a stationary orbit around the planet, but Thwei'ja had changed his mind at the last second. Kar'kha knew that with Me'vi-te also in stationary orbit, Thwei'ja would want to establish as much distance as possible between himself and his former Hunt Brother. Experience had taught him that, while civil with each other, the two clearly wished to have little to do with one another these days.

"Kar'kha?"

The tiny voice of his apprentice jolted him from this thoughts and he turned, glancing down at her curiously. She was looking up at him expectantly, her gaze occasionally moving toward the forested scenery around them. She tugged lightly on the tether at her wrist. He heaved a rattling sigh and started forward, yanking on the tether and making her stumble. She caught herself easily, proceeding along rather quickly behind him. Already, he could tell his decision was going to be a problem. Quick as she appeared to be and the levels of raw talent he knew she already possessed, it didn't matter. She was still leagues behind him in ability and he couldn't defend her from attacks while defending himself at the same time. But he didn't trust Thwei'ja enough to leave her on board the ship and as much as he hated to admit it, he didn't trust Than'ja with her safety just yet either. His oldest brother was still a little too leery of the young female, despite claiming to support him on this endeavor. The only Yautja he felt he could trust around her was Ikthya'de, who seemed to have fully accepted the responsibility of teaching her their language. But since he had gone on ahead of them to scout on his own, that choice was out. It was too late to take her back to her home planet, plus she'd already been made more than well aware of their existence, to say nothing of her limited knowledge of their language. If he took her back now, he'd be forced to end her life. His Youngblood impulsiveness had really gotten him in deep this time.

He smelled fresh water nearby and from the way her head raised and her eyes darted through the thick forest, he could see that she did as well. A glint of light shimmering through the trees caught his eye and he started toward it, veering slightly off course. He vaulted easily over a moss-covered log and waited for a fraction of a second for Luar'ka to do the same. She managed the jump easily. It was the landing she had difficulty with. She fell flat on her face, her wings crumpling from the momentum. Picking herself up with a groan, she scowled up at him and hissed, baring her teeth. While he was impressed at the jump for something as small as she was, he had to admit her coordination needed work. He yanked on the tether again, dragging her briefly until she caught her balance. Making his way through the dense undergrowth of the trees, the light grew steadily brighter and he shoved a massive growth of branches aside, emerging into the daylight on the edge of a large freshwater lake. Luar'ka shielded her eyes from the stark white of this planet's sun. She moved to stand beside him, her minute height barely enough to reach his hip. He looked down at her, reached over to grasp the arm with the metal clasp and deactivated the tether. It coiled back into his gauntlet and vanished from sight while he removed the clasp and knelt down in front of her, close to her level. He reached up to grasp her head, turning her gaze to look at his face. He let out a soft clicking rumble to make sure he had her attention. Her gaze didn't waver as she watched him expectantly. The rumble in his chest grew slightly louder as he jabbed a claw lightly at her chest and then brought it out to point down at the sand beneath them. He stabbed the air downward a few times with meaning, clicking his mandibles behind the mask.

"I...stay here?" she ventured, her voice small. He trilled in response, nodding a few times. He knew that she would be safer here at this lake where there were plenty of hiding places in case she ran into trouble, as well as water and, if she felt like it, wild game for hunting. Any chance to encourage her to find her own sustenance seemed a good idea to him, even if this _was_ only an excuse to get rid of her for a few hours. This kind of experience could help her immensely, as well as keep her out of immediate harm's way in case any _kiande amedha_ were in the area, which he doubted highly. He reached around to a sheathed knife attached to his thigh, unstrapping it and handing it to her delicately. With trembling hands, she took it, her eyes widening at him in alarm. He drew back slightly at this sudden horrified manner radiating off of her. What was she scared of? This lake was perfectly safe. His mask wasn't picking up any heat signatures larger than small lizards darting about. He'd even scanned through the other vision settings to be safe and not a single threatening creature revealed its presence. He tilted his head when he noticed her legs start shaking and he trilled an inquiry.

"...no...," she whispered, moving closer to him, "No...No, don't...don't leave me here, please!"

She flew forward and crashed into him, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck. He trilled suddenly, clicking his mandibles and straightening up in surprise at her reaction; "I promise I won't escape through the vent anymore! I shouldn't have done it, I know! Just don't leave me here, Kar'kha!"

He unhooked her arms from around his neck and lightly shoved her back, his clicking rumble softening into a purr to calm her. It didn't seem to be working, however, as her fear only seemed to spike, which caused him mild trepidation; after all, if his purr was defective, he had a serious problem on his hands when it came to impressing the females of his kind during the breeding season. His purr stuttered abruptly and he straightened up, forgoing his attempts to soothe Luar'ka for now. He'd deal with her issues when he returned later to get her. Activating his cloak so she couldn't follow him easily, he bounded off into the trees, ignoring the shriek she let out after him, one seemingly combined of fear and anger. It was piercing enough to even hurt _his_ ears. He shuddered to think of what would happen if she learned to control that ability.

" _Kar'kha!_ " Luar'ka screamed at the treeline, watching the warped, cloudy form of the cloak vanishing rapidly into the forest. From what little she could see of the fuzzy image, and from the sounds of his footfalls disappearing from her hearing range, he appeared to be heading in the direction he'd been going originally before their impromptu detour to the lake. While this thought calmed her slightly, she was still tense with fear and worry; what if he _did_ leave her here? On this planet, seven of their ship's travel days from Earth? If he circled back to the ship and deserted her here, she'd be done for.

She squeezed her eyes shut, gripping the knife and sheath until her knuckles turned white. She inhaled deeply, held it and then exhaled, her wings sagging. She opened her eyes, willing her racing heart to still. He wasn't abandoning her here; he'd simply left her here for safety. He'd come back. He had to.

She repeated this mantra in her head again and again to calm herself as she turned toward the water, scratching her head absently. Okay, so maybe that was the plan. That, she could buy. But still...what was she expected to do until he returned? Her nose twitched at the smell of the lake and she turned, frowning. Well...she could always go for a swim. The water seemed peaceful enough. The lake was situated in the bottom of an enormous, crater-like basin with tall, forested hills flanking all sides. It was at least two miles wide, crystal clear and sparkling in the shining sun in the sky. Luar'ka was amazed at how similar this planet was to Earth. Even so, there were mild differences. She could make out what appeared to be two moons in the sky, though she couldn't be sure. The sand beneath her feet felt softer than any Earth sand she'd known, almost like silk to the touch. She bent down and raked her claws through it, marveling at its silken texture through her fingers. The water smelled fresh and pure, and was absurdly clear as she stared at it. Luar'ka crept closer, lightly stepping into the cool water. The ripples fanned out into the lake toward the center and she peered down at her reflection in the water, warped by the ripples. Standing stock still, she watched as her reflection finally settled, revealing her familiar mop of fluffy black down covering her head and growing slightly down her neck. Her face was gaunt and pale and she could see the lingering effects of ravaging hunger on her body. Regular food had helped a lot, but she was still recovering. She turned slightly, stretching her wings to their full span. She sighed unhappily. Her wings looked so tiny on her back. She could only hope that one day, they'd be functional. For now, they were inconvenient decorations.

Moving slowly through the water, she threaded her foot claws carefully along the soft, sandy bottom of the lake, moving slightly deeper. Even with the clouds of sand puffing up with every step, the water barely darkened at all. In fact, she found she could see several dozen yards down through the crystalline depths, revealing a deserted lake bed. The deep water looked so cool and tempting. She was tempted to just dive right in.

She jumped when she heard Kar'kha's familiar bellow far off in the distance, whirling to look in that direction. She sighed, her wings sagging as she stilled her beating heart. He'd started hunting something. She felt a little better at least; he hadn't left the planet or returned to the ship. Maybe he thought she was just too small to be an effective hunter yet.

She clutched the knife in the sheath he'd given her. She wrapped the strap around her wrist and waded deeper into the water, her sharp eyes catching sight of silvery fish darting through the shallows. She licked her lips in anticipation, leaning forward with her wings extending outward to counterbalance herself. She moved slowly, cautiously, recalling all the failed hunts for rabbits she'd seen back on Earth. Slow and steady, that was the key. Once she got to her hips in depth, she froze, allowing the water to settle and letting the fish come to her. Several small guppy-like creatures swished gracefully past her, brushing her sides and zipping between and around her legs. She let them be. They were too small to be bothered with. A few larger ones darted into view, put off by the large obstruction suddenly standing in their path. Luar'ka held as still as possible, hardly even daring to breathe. Her eyes landed on a fish about a foot long, its scales shimmering in the clear sunlight streaming down. They shined a rainbow of hues and Luar'ka was briefly mesmerized by the beauty of its scaly body. But she composed herself quickly, waiting patiently. It was swimming close...so, so close. Her eyes narrowed and she could feel her mouth beginning to water from hunger. Her claws twitched, her gaze locked on the fish and didn't budge. She held perfectly still, her legs tense from being coiled so long. Her claws shifted again... _NOW!_ She shot forward, slashing down through the water with precision force...and missed. The fish had noticed her movement as she began her strike. She straightened up in the churning water, an irritated scowl crossing her face as she flicked the water from her down. She sighed heavily, feeling the ache in her stomach as she turned back toward shore. She waded out onto the sand, ignoring how it now clung to her feet and claws from the excess water as she shook her wings dry. She sighed heavily, glaring off into the trees. This wasn't fair; he just left her behind at this lake to fend for herself and granted, trying to teach herself to hunt was a lot harder than most would think. She stared into the trees, remembering that he'd told her to stay on the shore, but feeling restless all the same. She wanted to go back to the ship. As similar as this world was to Earth, it still didn't feel right and she felt anxious. She felt like Kar'kha might actually leave her here.

On trembling legs, remembering the last few times she'd disobeyed the Yautja, she swallowed her fear thickly and started off into the trees, away from the lake. The forest was well lit and dry, but vibrantly green and alive. The trees soared high into the sky, their trunks so big it would take her five minutes to walk around them. She could hear the cries of far off birds and animals in the distance, the sounds otherworldly and oddly beautiful to her ears. After spending her whole life in the desert, everything she saw filled her with wonder and her fear at entering the forest was swiftly forgotten.

That tingling. Her eyes widened. Her back was tingling again, the feeling shooting up and down her spine from her lower back all the way to the top of her head and forehead. She twitched her wings, turning slowly as she scanned the forest around her. It wasn't like Darkling Wood. This place was far brighter. But she had to remind herself she was still on another planet, a fact she still didn't care to dwell too heavily on.

She jumped when something zipped past her in the thick ferns and shrubs to her left. She caught sight of it briefly, running through the trees. It paused beneath a thick overhang of tree fronds and leaves, its shadow barely visible in the shade of the canopy filtering the sunlight streaming down. Spreading her wings, she eyed it cautiously as it stood in the shadows, watching her. She crept forward and noted with some curiosity that it copied her motions, moving slightly toward her as well. She straightened up, her eyes narrowing, "Hello?" she called softly, making sure to keep her voice low in case anything else was in the area, "Who's there?"

" _Who are you?_ " a soft voice replied. Luar'ka was surprised to hear such a melodic whisper reply to her, but she kept her guard up, recalling how Kar'kha could mimic voices so thoroughly, as he'd mimicked Maria's voice during their fight.

"Who are _you_?" Luar'ka asked back, tilting her head slightly.

" _Sorry, but I asked first_." they said, giggling slightly. Luar'ka frowned, unfolding her wings, "Yeah, well I'm not telling you who I am until you come out. I don't like talking to shadows."

Another bout of faint giggling; _"Okay, I can understand that. Give me a second, please._ "

They disappeared from the trees and Luar'ka heard the clattering of rocks and soft footfalls. Scanning the trees, she waited with baited breath, even as nothing came into her line of sight at first.

" _You surprised me. I didn't expect to see anyone out here right now._ "

Luar'ka still couldn't see whoever or whatever it was, but the voice sounded female, and not too old. She stepped back slightly, still waiting for her to appear, "I'm surprised you can understand what I'm saying." she said, "I'm not really...uh...from around here, I guess."

" _Neither am I. You're speaking basic dialect as I do. Clearly, I can speak it as well. Mala insisted I learn it. Where are you from?_ "

Luar'ka scraped her claws on the ground impatiently, "I'll talk with you when I can actually see you." she insisted. The voice sighed, " _Oh, all right. But promise you won't tell anyone I was this deep in the woods. I'll get into trouble._ "

Luar'ka barely had time to wonder who she was going to tell before something dropped down from the branches above her, landing delicately on the forest floor just feet away from her. She yelped and jumped back in alarm, eyes wide. She blinked a few times in surprise at the girl standing in front of her. She smiled, "Hello. Were you looking for us?"

 _ **Terminology**_

 _ **Thei'de**_ -Dead, can also stand for stupidity

 _ **Ki'cte**_ -Enough

 **So the crossover this story was originally intended to be has been eliminated. What is to continue from here is entirely my own creation. Also, until I start working on the second book, updates are going to happen every Thursday from now on, instead of every month. Mostly because I'm currently at chapter 26 and this is only chapter 9. I'm doing fairly well. Also, shout out to werewolfbleu, without whose help, a MAJOR plot change in this story would never have happened. Read her story, 'Deadly Curiosities' and show her some love for it! It's amazingly written and her humor is hysterical.**

 **See you next week, my lovelies!**

 **~Luna**


	10. Ten

Ten

"I didn't expect to see someone this far out. I expected to run into a visitor seeking the Illmorein as usual, but nothing quite like yourself, of course."

Luar'ka was momentarily speechless, flexing her wings in and out in thought. She tilted her head curiously, "The...Illmorein?" she asked. The girl giggled, "You tilt your head, too. The Yautja do it and it always looks so amusing. It's actually kind of cute, in a way."

Luar'ka's eyes widened, "You know about them?"

"Yes. They come here on occasion. I've spoken with them before. I saw one of their ships coming in to land before it cloaked. I'm going to guess you're with them."

Luar'ka shook her head, "Wait, who are you?"

Instead of answering, the girl crept closer to her, frowning as she inspected Luar'ka from a distance. Luar'ka examined her as well. She was tall and thin, humanoid in appearance, which struck her as odd. But there were far odder qualities that needed to be mentioned. The girl had strange hair, long and pearly, but not quite like hair. It almost resembled tendrils like those the Yautja possessed, but these were somehow...different. It grew long and thin from the base of her skull all the way to the top of her forehead and she had those strands pulled back behind her with ribbon of some kind, out of her eyes. Luar'ka almost felt a sort of energy radiating from her hair. Long, feather-like appendages extended from the crown of her head in a single row on all sides, tipped in turquoise. Her skin, compared to her off-white hair, was stark white in appearance, which contrasted with her wide, almost perfectly circular dark blue eyes. As she studied them, Luar'ka was amazed to see that her eyes actually sparkled like black jewels, resembling a clear, starry night sky in appearance with no visible white to be seen behind them. She was exceedingly lank and quite tall. Her thin arms weren't exactly gaunt, but they were insubstantial in appearance and she only had three fingers and a thumb as opposed to Luar'ka's own five fingers. Her fingers were as thin as the rest of her body and her legs matched, balanced on small feet also containing only four digits. She stood delicately, seeming to barely touch the ground at all, as if she were weightless. She wore a simple tan-colored tunic with a split that ran up to her lower thigh and wide bell sleeves that stopped at her elbows. Around her neck, she wore a gleaming green gem of some kind, cut into the shape of a spiral and strung on a simple silver chain. Altogether, she presented such an apparition of a sight that Luar'ka was sure she'd never seen anything like her.

"Well, I've never seen anything like you, either." The girl quipped suddenly. Luar'ka snapped her head up, eyes wide, "How...what...how did you know what I was thinking?!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry. I'm telepathic. We all are."

" Wait a second, 'we'?"

"Yes. The Illmorein. I told you, remember?"

"I don't know what that is. I'm sorry." Luar'ka said quietly.

"I didn't expect you to. Except for a handful of other cultures, and the Yautja of course, no one really knows about us. It's to keep us safe."

"Huh...," Luar'ka mumbled, "I see."

The girl circled around her, smiling a pleasant, albeit lip-less smile, "And that's why I assumed you were with the Yautja. A creature as exotic as you? Surely they'd have something like you aboard."

"First off, can I ask you a question? Just who are you, exactly?" Luar'ka asked while backing up, not used to speaking to someone who seemed interested in replying, let alone understood what she said. The girl laughed, "Sorry. My name is S'iirai. I received the name during my melding ceremony so I don't remember the name I was given at birth. Though if I may be honest, I feel like this name suits me better, anyway. And you are?"

"Uh...Luar'ka."

"That _sounds_ like a Yautjan name. It even has a click to it. Which clan are you with? The To'r'khe, the Sev'kai, or the Ki'vai?"

Luar'ka's confused expression must have clued S'iirai into the fact that she was only muddling her thoughts with these questions. She frowned, "You...don't know what clan you belong to?"

"Well," Luar'ka mumbled, struggling to figure out how to explain it, "I didn't even know there were clans until now. I've only been with them for about eight days."

"Huh?" S'iirai exclaimed, taken aback. Luar'ka sighed, "I...I was abandoned my by family about a month ago. My wings are...too small..." she mumbled, her voice barely audible as she turned to the side, stretching her wings out weakly, "My clan was already dying. I guess I wasn't helping..."

"How old are you?" S'iirai asked, her tone mellow.

"I'm eight years old. I should have been flying by now. I was too weak to be of use to them so..." she trailed off, uncomfortable with the memories she was currently working hard to banish. She was aware of S'iirai staring at her, shifting to better see her face. The Illmoreinan could sense the turmoil brewing in the winged girl's mind, to say nothing of the pained look on her face. She frowned, "Hey, you came from the lake, didn't you?"

Luar'ka looked up, "...Uh, yes...Kar'kha ordered me to wait there for him. He's off hunting, I think..."

S'iirai took her hand, "Well, we wouldn't want to get you in trouble, would we?" she said, leading Luar'ka back toward the lake. The winged girl followed mindlessly, still astounded by the presence of another girl close to her age on this planet so, so very far away from Earth. While they walked, S'iirai maintained pleasant smalltalk; "So which planet do you come from?" she asked, her voice cheerful.

"Earth. The rest of my clan lives there." Luar'ka answered.

"I see. I've heard about Earth, though the Yautja refer to it as _N'-ithya._ But I've never gotten the chance to visit there. Is it anything like _Illmianyar_?"

Luar'ka looked around, her dark eyes scanning the overgrown foliage around them. The ground was soft beneath her clawed feet, the soil rich and silken. The trees were taller and wider than any she'd ever seen before on Earth. She'd never seen this much green growth in one location before. She sighed sadly, "No. It isn't. It's coarse, it's hot, it's sandy, and it's unbearable. The heat doesn't bother me so much, which I guess is good considering how hot Kar'kha and the others keep the ship, but the lack of food was killing us."

S'iirai nodded, "It must have been hard. But you're in good hands now with the Yautja. They may be brash and more or less terrifying, but they're resourceful."

Luar'ka's eyes narrowed as they returned to the white sands of the lake and S'iirai moved ahead of her to dig her feet down into it with a contented sigh. She glanced back toward the girl and motioned her forward, "It's all right. This lake is perfectly safe."

"Hey," Luar'ka mumbled as she drew nearer, "How is it that you know of the Yautja? They're not from this world, are they?"

S'iirai pulled her feet from the warm sand and knelt down, beginning to dig, "Well, first you should know that my people are allies with them," she explained, "The Illmorein were once nomadic, and now have settled on _Illmianyar_. The name means 'Green Home'. I wasn't around to see it, but our original home was more or less destroyed."

"By what?" Luar'ka asked, joining her in digging. The sand felt even softer and silkier on her tiny hands and her claws slipped through the fine grains easily.

"The Sert'truuc." S'iirai said plainly.

"The _what_?"

"They're a race of insectoid, sentient beings. They're actually somewhat similar to the Yautja, but far less humanoid and more monstrous if you can believe it. They're always hunting my people. We're more or less safe on this planet, and we have allied pockets of humans who have done much for us over the years. But our alliance with the Yautja is our best kept and most necessary secret."

She paused in her digging, staring out over the lake and the sun high in the sky, glinting off the water's rippling surface. Luar'ka watched her calmly, her wings twitching in the delicate breeze wafting through, something she'd missed greatly in the stuffy confines of the ship and it's pressurized air supply. She watched in amazement as S'iirai's tendril-like hair began to twist and float of its own accord, rising into the air and twisting into a tight twist behind her, knotting itself at the base to secure the hold. The older girl watched Luar'ka from the corner of her eyes and giggled, "Surprise!" she said, "I'll bet you thought this was just hair, didn't you?"

"Uh..."

"These strands are as much a part of my body as my hands. I can use them to detect the slightest vibrations in the air around me and even produce electric currents in self defense. Static flows through my body and funnels through the strands. It's not powerful, but it's enough to stun an attacker of variable size and weight if I'm attacked. The only drawback is I have a tendency to shock people who touch me." she said, giggling sheepishly.

"Can you all do that?" Luar'ka asked in amazement. S'iirai shook her head, "No. We're all different. For instance, my mother and several others in the settlement can detect and heal diseases and injuries. My brother is different; he funnels energy in just as we do, but he can expel it in the form of kinetic force, allowing him to manipulate objects from a distance. This is how my mother and all my sisters vary from him and many of the others. They have extra sensitive tresses that allow them to sense things others cannot. They make wonderful healers."

"How do you all do this?"

S'iirai turned fully and fondled the green gem hanging at her chest, "When an Illmorein reaches age ten, he or she is put through the melding ceremony, or the _du'rach mann'yier_ to determine their station in life. They are placed in the center of a circle of different gems and precious stones, each one in a raw, natural state, unpolished and undisturbed. They are to choose the stone that calls to them. It can take hours for a stone to reach out to its life partner, but mine took a very short time indeed. This stone chose me and the second I touched it, it took the form of a spiral and fused with me."

Luar'ka looked dubious, "A...rock chose you?"

"It may seem like an ordinary stone to you, but they're as alive as we are. We listen to their voices. And it is forbidden for an Illmorein to touch another's life stone. The only exception is during the ceremony to bond mated couples together."

" I see. So each stone possesses different energy."

"Exactly."

Luar'ka sighed, sitting back and folding her wings down, "I never imagined there would be so much else outside of the sky," she mumbled, "And this is probably just the surface, isn't it?"

"It is. If you stay with the Yautja, you'll see far more inspiring and dangerous things, I promise you. The universe is vast."

"So it seems. But if it weren't for the Yautja dragging me into this universe, I would've definitely died back on Earth."

"You know the Yautja are hunters, right?" S'iirai asked, facing her seriously. Luar'ka nodded, "Yes, I do. Kar'kha actually wanted my head when we met. He spent almost a day stalking me. What does that have to do with your alliance?"

"The Illmorein make up an extremely scant group of creatures the Yautja don't hunt. To many, it would seem odd that they would willingly spare us and occasionally even protect us, but actually, this arrangement makes perfect sense. In a way, we have just as much to thank the Sert'truuc for as we do to despise them."

"You're not making any sense." Luar'ka grumbled in exasperation. S'iirai giggled and rolled her eyes, "Simple. The Illmorein don't make good prey for the Yautja. They want challenging targets, prey that will push them to their absolute limits, even to death if necessary. We don't like to fight if we can help it. We only have one weapon on our entire planet, and it's a self-destructive weapon meant to be used as a last resort if we're cornered in space. On top of being too timid in spirit, we're relatively weak in body, so we'd also make a poor slave race for them. Oh, they didn't tell you about that?" S'iirai asked at the dumbfounded and slightly horrified look on Luar'ka's face at the mention of the Yautja taking slave races. She sighed, "Honestly, you'd think they'd think about these things," she groaned, "Anyway, despite all of this, we are good for a few things. We're well connected in the universal affairs with other sentient nations, including humans. And also, there's the Sert'truuc, which _do_ make excellent targets for the Yautja. So they come to _Illmianyar_ periodically seeking information on the state of affairs in the galaxy, and they're provided with challenging prey in the Sert'truuc, thereby inadvertently protecting us as a side bonus. It's a bit unconventional, certainly, and the _Eld'rin_ weren't happy with the arrangement at first, so I hear. But they're ever tolerant of changes for the good of the people."

"How do you know all of this?" Luar'ka questioned, pouring handfuls of sand out onto the ground.

"I'm in training as a delegate for the Illmorein, in order to better handle the alliances we have. It's also my job to discuss any new arrangements with the other delegates and with the _Eld'rin_ before going forward with them."

"I see...so that's what they came here for. I think they're looking for something here, S'iirai. They came without alerting anyone to their presence. What little I caught seemed to suggest they didn't want to be seen."

S'iirai raised an eyebrow, "You're quite intelligent, Luar'ka. I'm impressed."

"Uh...thank you, I guess."

"So, you're with them now, huh? How do you like them? Asking from personal curiosity of course, since I myself don't mind them, but most of the others do. The scent of blood they constantly carry with them can be a bit off-putting."

Luar'ka jolted a bit, but she relaxed, her wings sagging at her back, "I...I like them all right. I mean, I don't know them all that well yet. Kar'kha takes care of me and Ikthya'de is nice to me...Thwei'ja...he's a little scary. And I haven't met the last one yet, but I've seen him."

"I know Thwei'ja," S'iirai said with a knowing smile, "He _is_ a little scary, isn't he? But he's very old. I've heard he's somewhere close to six hundred years old. He's very cordial with me whenever we talk, but I think he might have trust issues. His civil treatment toward me took a while to attain."

Luar'ka chuckled at this, remembering how Thwei'ja had roared at her when she last escaped from the storeroom. S'iirai smiled, "I knew I could get you to smile. You'll need to learn to do that more often, you know. Having a healthy sense of humor is a must while traveling through space, and I can't imagine living with the Yautja is good for the blood pressure."

"The what?"

"Never mind," S'iirai chuckled, "As for them, I would imagine they're probably here hunting the Sert'truuc. A few rogue scouts have been sighted recently and they most likely heard about it through the universal grapevine. Maybe they're here for another hunt. Ah! That could explain why they didn't announce their presence to us!" she exclaimed, beaming.

"Yeah. I guess it explains why Kar'kha left me here." Luar'ka mumbled, looking out over the lake, its peaceful waters entirely calm in the afternoon sun.

"We're pretty far from the settlement. I don't usually wander out this far, but I'm glad I did." S'iirai said, "It isn't often I get to meet otherworldly creatures who don't try to kill me."

"And you're the first one my age I've met who doesn't have feathers." Luar'ka pointed out, smirking.

For the first time since leaving Earth, Luar'ka felt a little more at ease. Maybe it was the peaceful scenery around the lake, which she learned from S'iirai was called _Shiinyi,_ or 'Star Lake', or maybe it was conversing with someone her own age and gender for a change. She hadn't been lying; she did genuinely like the Yautja she traveled with, but she felt so content talking with S'iirai that she almost wished she could stay on _Illmianyar_ for a couple of days. Within a few scant hours, S'iirai had gleaned all of Luar'ka's life story, including her abandonment, her three weeks surviving in the wilds of the Darkling Wood, how Kar'kha had saved her twice from hard meats, and how she'd ultimately fought for her life against him. In return, S'iirai told her her own tale of her life, of her melding ceremony three years prior and her introduction into the life of diplomacy dealing with the Yautja and other races who sought them for information and valuable goods they created. As a highly peaceful race, the Illmorein were sort of oddballs throughout the galaxy for showing such an interest in other races. S'iirai explained that it was due to their telepathy that enabled them to coexist so peacefully with themselves and to attempt the same with others. She was learning to use her abilities to calm strife during meetings with such other races.

"That's incredible," she breathed, "You're so accomplished already."

"It's not so much 'accomplishment' as it is just pure luck, Luar'ka. I had a lot of help." S'iirai mumbled apologetically, "You seem down. Is it because of your wings?"

"Would you stop reading my mind?" Luar'ka snapped, baring her teeth. S'iirai chuckled, "I'm sorry. It's a natural reflex. Maybe your wings will grow, Luar'ka. They probably just need proper stimulation, that's all."

Luar'ka dared to look even a little hopeful, "Well...to be fair, I never _have_ gotten much chance to test them in the past." she admitted, gazing off to the side, her eyes dazed. S'iirai smiled, "Then this is perfect. _Illmianyar_ , from what I understand, has an atmosphere almost identical to that of Earth. It's also in the routes of regular hunting grounds for the Yautja. They usually land here to rest while on extended hunting trips. I'm sure you'll be coming here regularly. Well, I _hope_ so, anyway. You can practice here."

"I've been climbing the steam pipes in the storeroom where I've been staying on the ship." Luar'ka pointed out, "The room is big enough that I could practice gliding, I guess..."

She was hesitant to be hopeful, her entire life having been spent hearing the clan elders drill into her head the fact that she would never fly. It was hard to overcome mental obstacles like that. But her very genetic makeup screamed at her to look to the skies, to taste the clouds and burst through the atmosphere at lightning speeds on wings built to take the pressure of the wind.

"You're with creatures now who will force you to try," S'iirai said firmly, "I don't know what you left behind, but whatever you're heading towards is different. The Yautja won't allow you to quit. You'll meet their expectations or die trying."

"Are all the Illmorein like you?" Luar'ka asked in amazement. S'iirai chuckled, "Not at all. I'm one of a kind." she said, smiling impishly.

Luar'ka smirked and tossed a handful of sand at her. S'iirai chuckled and turned to stare out over the water, "I shouldn't be this far from the settlement, honestly. I rarely come out this far, but I caught a brief glimpse of the Yautja's ship before it cloaked and my curiosity got the better of me."

Luar'ka groaned, "Thwei'ja is going to be mad when he finds out Kar'kha left me here. Wait...no he won't; what am I saying?"

"Try not to let it bother you too much. Thwei'ja is just a bit of a rock; he'll come around."

Luar'ka grumbled angrily and stretched her wings, "Sure, whatever."

They both jumped at a deep roar reverberating through the trees, scattering birds into the air and practically shaking the ground. S'iirai huffed in surprise, her eyes wide, "That was a loud one. It sounded close, too. One of yours?" she asked her.

"I...I don't know. That didn't sound like any of the Yautja I'm acquainted with." Luar'ka mumbled, "It can't be Kar'kha; I _know_ his. And Ikthya'de went in the opposite direction. The other one is still aboard the ship so..."

S'iirai frowned, "Maybe Thwei'ja?"

To her surprise, Luar'ka shook her head, "No, I can tell it wasn't him either. I...I don't know this one."

Another ground-shaking roar, this one even closer than before. Both girls tensed, staring back into the trees behind them as if expecting something to come barreling through the thick vegetation and onto the stark white sand of the lake shore.

S'iirai's eyes narrowed and she stood up slowly, "I think we'd better hide, then." she said calmly, though the sharp edge in her voice couldn't be missed. Luar'ka rose to stand beside her, her eyes focused unblinking on the forest. The two moved back and to the side, heading for a large fallen tree molding slowly on the sands several meters away. Luar'ka flexed her wings and claws, baring her teeth as the unmistakable sound of footsteps drew nearer to their position. They were moving quickly.

"Are there any large creatures on this planet, S'iirai?" she whispered, glancing sidelong at her friend. She didn't dare remove her gaze from the trees for long. S'iirai shook her head; "No, not that I'm aware of. This planet mostly consists of large herbivores like us, but nothing much else."

"What about another Yautja clan?"

S'iirai considered this, "It's not out of the realm of possibility, I suppose. There are plenty of clans in the area of our solar system. But most of them know better than to attack us...unless it's—"

They both jumped as a third roar ripped through the trees, this one just as powerful and even closer than the first two. At the same time, several smaller trees shook wildly along the path leading to the sand at the same time as a small herd of quadrupedal animals of some kind leaped out of the forest and onto the sands, bleating in terror as they fled from their pursuer. Luar'ka caught a brief glimpse of them; they looked like Earthen deer, but had long, flexible spines running down the lengths of their backs, ending in whip-like tails that lashed the air as they sped across the shores of the lake.

Something enormous burst out of the foliage onto the shore and the girls recognized it easily as Yautja. Luar'ka waited to relax though, as she caught sight of S'iirai's darkening face and realized something was wrong. They hadn't yet made it to the sheltered hiding place of the fallen tree and were standing within plain sight of the creature if it turned to see them. S'iirai scowled when she saw the long, jagged blade it carried dripping with bright green fluid, "That's their blood...," she whispered, "It's been attacking its own kind."

Luar'ka felt her breath catch when she realized that Kar'kha and the others were still in the area, and she recalled hearing Kar'kha's roar not that long after he'd left her. She whirled as the newcomer suddenly turned, catching sight of the two juvenile females standing several meters away on the sand. He had no mask, revealing his face entirely as he stretched his mandibles in an enraged bellow at them. His armor was dented and broken in chunks across his shoulders and chest and he was missing a shin guard. He had a ragged, open wound running down the length of his abdomen, bleeding profusely down his front and dripping bright, neon blood onto the sand. The netting covering his body hung in pathetic scraps across his torso and arms, practically useless in every conceivable way. It didn't seem to bother him, though, as he tossed his head, snarling viciously at the two of them.

"Run..." S'iirai muttered, grabbing Luar'ka's arm and turning, "Bad Blood! Run! _Run!_ "

Luar'ka didn't need to be told twice as she and S'iirai whirled and bolted toward the treeline at the other side of the beach they stood on, vaulting easily over the fallen tree and listening as the crazed Yautja behind them gave chase. Luar'ka heard a sharp whizzing sound and hurled herself to the side as something sharp and fast rocketed past her, slicing into the sand with a spine-tingling _shhhink!_ Thinking fast, she lashed her arm out and snatched up the throwing disk as she dashed past it. Her three-toed feet enabled her to run easily and nearly uninhibited on the soft sand before her, but she could see that S'iirai was having difficulty and beginning to lag behind. Out of desperation, she twisted her body around, scratching for a foothold as she lashed her arm to the side, hurling the sharp-edged disk at their attacker. Its mark was off, but the gesture was enough to startle the creature into losing its footing in the soft sand, staggering briefly and opening a brief window for the girls.

"Into the trees!" Luar'ka gasped, shoving her friend to the side and yanking her toward the cover and presumed safety of the treeline. Just in time, as their pursuer bore down on them viciously, jabbing his wicked spear tip into the sand just a few feet behind Luar'ka as she and her friend jinked out of his range with a few precious seconds to spare. Luar'ka scrambled up the trunk of a tree while S'iirai ducked into its thick roots, crawling down into a narrow hole beneath it filled with loose plant roots and soft soil. She screamed as the Bad Blood jabbed his spear down into the hole, missing her by mere inches as the spear tip lodged itself into the soft underside of the tree. He snarled in fury as he yanked the spear out and drew back to try again.

A sharp shriek echoed close by and she watched as Luar'ka suddenly launched herself out of the tree and onto the neck of the killer Yautja, digging her claws into the corded muscles of his neck and raising herself up to rake her foot claws across his uncovered back. He howled in pain and fury, whirling around to try to grab her as she continued to slash relentlessly at him, sending his bright green blood splattering across the ground and rocks below. His mandibles stretched wide in an enraged snarl as he reached back and managed to snag a fierce hold on the back of her tunic, trying to rip her off of his back. She dug her claws deeper into his flesh and he succeeded only in tearing off a large chunk of her tunic as she disengaged one of her hands and reached up to grasp at one of his mandibles, now blindingly scratching and slashing at him, desperately trying to find his eyes. There was a sharp _crack_ as Luar'ka managed to grab his mandible in the same instant he went to close them, the resulting force causing the one she held to snap backward, broken. He bellowed a deafening combination of a roar of fury and a trill of anguished pain and his eyes flashed in anger. Extending his mandibles again, he opened his mouth wide and caught her hand within his dagger-like teeth, causing Luar'ka to shriek in pain, her grip on his neck loosening. He took this opportunity to back up quickly, throwing her off balance and enabling him to grab her neck, hurling her down to the forest floor in a heap on the ground. He was on her before she could right herself, jabbing his knee against her abdomen and grabbing her neck. She opened her eyes in alarm as he extended those vicious wrist blades from his gauntlet and her mind flashed back to the skulls Kar'kha wore on his armor plates. She felt an agonizing pressure on her neck as he began to tug and simultaneously lowered the blades to her neck so that she felt the sharp edges beginning to pierce her skin. On reflex, she opened her mouth and let out an ear-piercing cry that seemed to explode in all directions, racing through the trees and continuing to rise, higher and higher the longer she kept it up. It was enough to even make the killer Yautja pinning her down pause and shake his head in discomfort, snarling his displeasure at her actions as he dug his talons into her neck, cutting off her trachea and the cry along with it. Before he could continue, she heard him snarl his anger again, this time as S'iirai leaped out of her hiding place and barreled into him from the side with surprising force, tumbling into the ferns and righting herself with amazing grace and fluid movements. The Yautja hissed viciously at her and aimed his plasma-caster at her, firing off several shots in tandem as she quickly ducked and swerved out of their way, the shots smashing into trees and rocks and missing the swift Illmoreinan easily. She bounded toward his other side, temporarily out of range of the weapon and forcing him to stand in order to continue firing at her. This lapse in concentration allowed Luar'ka to break free of his loosened hold, raising her head and sinking her teeth into his thigh that still pinned her down. He snarled in fury at the dual attack that was proving surprisingly effective, wrenching his leg out of her grip and swiping his fist at Luar'ka's head, sending her flying into the underbrush. She collapsed in a heap there, stunned from the blow and vaguely feeling the blood flowing from the deep gash running the length of her temple.

S'iirai rushed to her friend's side, standing over her in a futile attempt to protect her as the infuriated Yautja eyed them demonically, his whole body shaking with the sheer force of his anger toward them. Luar'ka grumbled pitiably beneath the Illmoreinan, still wishing to fight despite the entire world spinning sickeningly around her from the growing concussion.

As the killer stalked toward them, intent on finishing the job, he completely disregarded his surroundings, right up until a white hot blast whizzed toward him from deeper in the trees and smashed into his side, knocking him to the ground several feet back. He scrambled to his feet, spreading his three unbroken mandibles as another figure barreled into him from behind, hurtling him to the ground and beating him into submission. The one who fired the plasma-caster started forward, spear drawn as he bellowed angrily at the killer who fought against his second attacker pinning him to the forest floor. However, the two new arrivals were stronger and must faster than their unlucky foe, who was quickly subdued by his second adversary, held face down on the ground with one arm pinned painfully behind his back by the larger, more powerful Yautja straddling his back.

The first Yautja, a large, reddish brown male, approached S'iirai who was helping Luar'ka to her feet, "Are you injured, young Illmorein?" he asked in almost perfect, albeit choppy English. S'iirai looked from him to the other one currently trussing up their attacker, binding his arms in stringent cords that offered no leeway. He then stood up, turning to face her. The second Yautja was a stark, gleaming white from top to bottom, even sporting grayish-white tendrils growing halfway down his back. His intricate, dark gray armor stood out immensely against his white skin and scales, giving him an almost ethereal look as he stood there motionless, watching her. His eyes were a sharp neon green.

"...No," she answered carefully, "I am not injured. But my companion might be. She fought hard against the Bad Blood."

"Allow her to me."

S'iirai helped Luar'ka into a sitting position and she groaned in pain, her head lolling back. The right side of her face was covered in glistening red blood to match her left hand, which sported deep teeth marks and bled profusely down the front of her off-white tunic. Her neck was turning a sickly shade of purplish-green from the bruising.

S'iirai watched the first Yautja— whom she now recognized as the arbitrator Me'vi-te— as he knelt and inspected Luar'ka's wounds, and reached around to the med-kit on his utility belt. He set it on the ground in front of him and opened it up, reaching through the unfamiliar supplies and little vials of chemicals. He grumbled to himself and looked up at his companion, who S'iirai assumed was yet another arbitrator. He clicked something to the second Yautja who removed his own med-kit from his belt and handed it to him. Me'vi-te seemed to find what he was looking for in the other Yautja's supplies in the form of a small vial of silvery liquid. He reached for a syringe and lightly dipped it into the vial, pulling back on the injector to fill the syringe with the strange fluid. He tapped it a few times to release trapped air bubbles and and then reached over for Luar'ka, lightly dragging her closer to him and laid her head against his thigh. He surprised S'iirai by gently feeling around Luar'ka's head for the source of the bleeding and discovered a large knot already forming on the side of her scalp.

"Blood wound minor." he growled out, "Will heal alone."

S'iirai sighed, "Well, I'm relieved to hear that." she said, watching as he lowered the needle to the disturbing knot on her friend's head. Luar'ka's eyes were half-masted and she warily watched his movements out of her peripheral vision. She hissed slightly when he slid the needle down into the knot and pressed the trigger, releasing the silvery liquid into her head. Her hiss died in her throat, replaced by a comforted hum as the pain seemed to fade rather abruptly. Her body visibly relaxed and her eyes opened fully, revealing her stark white pupils and gray irises. She sat up, flexing her wings and shaking them. She twisted around to look at Me'vi-te. He nodded for her to stand, which she did, albeit shakily. He watched her for a few more seconds and then replaced his supplies into his kit, handing the other arbitrator the supplies he'd borrowed from him.

The white Yautja turned away to check on their unruly captive, laying prone on the ground and growling to himself. He heaved him to his feet and shoved him up against a tree, holding him there. With his hands bound not only at the wrists, but also against his lower back, he wasn't going anywhere easily. The white Yautja caught sight of the vicious slash marks on the killer's back and trilled shrilly, turning to Me'vi-te in surprise. The first arbitrator cocked his head curiously at the sight of the marks. S'iirai chuckled, "Luar'ka did that. She's a lot stronger than she looks, I guess." she chimed with a glance at her friend sitting on the ground gathering her senses.

Both arbitrators glanced at her with obvious surprise written across their faces. Luar'ka didn't appear to notice; she was too busy trying to regain her senses after that powerful blow to her head.

All four individuals looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and Me'vi-te stood, turning to face the sound as two more Yautja appeared from the bushes off of the overgrown trail. Luar'ka looked up and gasped, scrambling to her feet and turning to face them. Both approached warily, mindful of the presence of their clear seniors as they assessed the situation in front of them. The somewhat shorter, forest green one approached, nodding to Me'vi-te and clicking something to him in his own language; (( _N'jauka, Me'vi-te. I did not expect to see you here._ ))

Me'vi-te regarded his offspring silently as they approached, heads down in submission. They stopped several feet away and both arbitrators watched them carefully. Ikthya'de had the good presence of mind to prioritize his sire's presence before them, while Kar'kha's eyes remained glued on his apprentice too close to his sire for comfort. Ikthya'de chuffed lightly in his brother's direction, forcing him to refocus. Kar'kha did so immediately, looking toward his sire with his back rigid, piecing together his nearly shattered composure.

Me'vi-te lifted his upper mandibles aside slightly in a friendly gesture, which sent a rush of calm through Ikthya'de; at the very least, his sire was in an exceptionally good mood for a change. Glancing at the bound and beaten Yautja standing rigidly against a tree several yards away, he hazarded a guess that that had something to do with it.

He turned his head lightly to look toward the other arbitrator standing nearby, watching them silently. He had yet to say a word. Ikthya'de recognized him from the Clan Ship. He was another in the same profession as his sire, hunting down Bad Bloods and keeping the peace between Yautja clans, living alone in the dark voids of their territories and returning only for special celebrations, the breeding season, or severe injuries that prevented successful completion of their duties. He'd never met this white Yautja before, but it was hard to forget something like this.

(( _What happened here?))_ Kar'kha asked carefully, earning a reproachful sidelong glance from his brother.

Me'vi-te stood, giving Luar'ka a gentle shove back toward her companions. She stumbled forward to them without a fuss, her eyes glazed over from fatigue and stress.

Me'vi-te tossed his head, almost as if he were irritated at such a pointless question when the happenstance was quite obvious; (( _Your unique little pet there is quite extraordinary to last in a fight with a Bad Blood.))_ he said.

(( _How long has the Bad Blood been on the planet?))_ Ikthya'de asked the more prudent question, since this information would have been nice have _before_ they'd landed on _Illmianyar_. Me'vi-te chittered in irritation, clearly miffed himself, (( _Warkha and I received the transmission simultaneously. Apparently, the Bad Blood arrived on this world two rotations before your arrival.))_

Ikthya'de huffed in anger, his shoulders dropping slightly as he shook his head, (( _Pauk...))_ he snarled. He looked toward the seething captive eying the young Avian with a poisonous glare from his place at the tree. Ikthya'de figured that if the white Yautja hadn't been standing right next to him, the killer probably would have tried to launch another attack, bound or not.

(( _What was his crime?))_

(( _Unauthorized transport of eggs. We have located him. The ship is still missing.))_

Ikthya'de suppressed the shudder running through him at the thought of a ship filled with _tou'amedha_ eggs adrift somewhere in the galaxy. He knew his sire wouldn't approve of his latent dislike for the _kiande amedha_. So this outlaw Yautja had either ejected or scuttled the ship somewhere.

Me'vi-te turned to the captive Yautja, (( _Where is the transport shuttle?))_ he demanded to know.

The captive Yautja weighed his options, his three functional mandibles working feverishly for a second or two. He let out a rattling sigh, deciding he was already in enough trouble; (( _I do not know. The engine malfunctioned. I was forced to eject and touched down here.))_

Me'vi-te sighed, straightening up with narrowed eyes. He motioned to the white Yautja to take him away. Casting a respectful nodding glance at the Illmorein and the Avian, the other arbitrator obeyed and hoisted the captive to his feet easily. He shoved him in the general direction back to his ship, following with his spear drawn as he started off. Luar'ka watched them go, her right hand rubbing gently over her left bearing the tooth marks of the Bad Blood. Me'vi-te faced his offspring again, (( _If that shuttle had crashed here, this would explain the sightings of_ kiande amedha _. I will submit the report of our findings to the Elders. You two, return to the clan ship at once.))_

Me'vi-te watched as they nodded and turned to go. His eyes widened when he saw Luar'ka begin to follow them back and he issued a loud bark, making them halt. Kar'kha was the first to turn as his sire stalked over, (( _This suckling. Where did she come from?))_ he asked suspiciously.

(( _She is my apprentice, Me'vi-te.))_ Kar'kha explained, (( _I had left her here while I completed my mission.))_

Luar'ka watched with baited breath as Me'vi-te's expression grew more or less thunderous, his mandibles stretching wide before tucking back down. He huffed deeply and eyed her, his fists clenching in and out. He let out a deep, ponderous rumble, clicking the tusks of his mandibles together, (( _The Elders may complain. However, it must be noted that she can fight. That Bad Blood boasts some impressive scars on her account.))_

Kar'kha watched his sire's face change from infuriated to calm consideration in a manner of minutes, watching as he ran over the pros and cons in his head. Me'vi-te was brash, tactless, occasionally cruel, and extremely vicious in battle. There were even those who whispered about his own possible beginning descent into Bad Blood territory. However, despite all of these speculations and baseless suppositions, it could not be argued that Me'vi-te was also one of the most worldly and open-minded Yautja in their clan. He was one of few Yautja who did not currently possess any human skulls, believing that race too full of intellectual promise to kill so many of the true fighters. It was even rumored that he had held close friendships with humans in the past. Kar'kha had often wondered how true these rumors were, but watching him actually consider the life of the female Avian made him start to believe those tales. Perhaps Me'vi-te was as open-minded as other Yautja said he was.

(( _I have seen her fight. I will allow her to accompany you.))_ he said, facing his youngest living offspring. His shoulders squared, his gaze was set; (( _Her care and training are your responsibility. Whether she lives or dies rests on your abilities. For her sake, do not fail.))_

Kar'kha almost felt like he was being given a new pet with how Me'vi-te had phrased his warning. But he kept his mouth shut and nodded his understanding to his sire.

With those somewhat ominous parting words, Me'vi-te spun on his heel and strode off after the other arbitrator and the captive.

Still standing on the sidelines, S'iirai finally came out from the shade of the trees and approached the two hunters, "Well, I guess that is that for my day," she said lightly, "As for you and Luar'ka, I expect her to be taken care of. I've made her my friend; I'll have no abuse toward her." she said impishly. Ikthya'de and Kar'kha exchanged bewildered glances, even through their masks, and Luar'ka had to cover her mouth to stifle a laugh. Clearly, S'iirai's blatant sarcasm was lost on them and their translators.

S'iirai rolled her eyes and approached Luar'ka, clapping her on the shoulder, "It was wonderful getting to know you, Luar'ka. I hope we meet again soon."

Luar'ka barely had time to reply before Kar'kha snatched her arm and dragged her off down the path. Stumbling along behind him, Luar'ka grinned back at her baffled friend and waved, "Bye S'iirai! It was nice meeting you!" she called as they disappeared around a bend.

 _ **Terminology**_

 _ **N'jauka**_ -Welcome

 _ **Tou'amedha**_ -Facehugger

 _ **Pronunciation**_

 _ **Illmorein**_ \- Ill-mu-rain

 _ **Sert'truuc**_ \- Say-er-trook

 _ **S'iirai**_ \- Sha-rye

 _ **A/N:**_ **So a super special edition update because some upsetting personal stuff happened and I needed to do something to keep my spirits up. Don't get used to this, people. I won't update again for another week. Special thanks to werewolfbleu for the encouragement and the uplifting I needed right now.**


	11. Eleven

Eleven

Recounting on the events of the previous day, Luar'ka rolled on her side on the floor and eyed the ovalular shape of the room. She absentmindedly brushed her claws through her thick down, noting with some surprise that it seemed to have grown a bit longer in recent weeks. She remembered Peregrine's down had always been quite long. Maybe a proper diet and exercise were stimulating hers to grow more quickly than before. Yet another thing she had to thank the Yautja for, it seemed.

So she'd made a friend, huh? That was kind of interesting. If the Yautja allowed her to _see_ S'iirai again, then it would be even _more_ interesting.

She groaned; her whole body ached like mad after yesterday's encounter with the Bad Blood. Her neck throbbed painfully with the discolored bruise lingering there and her entire left hand had turned dark purple from the bite. She had a sinking feeling that the marks were becoming infected. But she had no way of telling any of the others this fact since she was yet again locked in the storeroom.

Sitting up, she moved across the floor over to the window and looked out. She'd never noticed while they rocketed through the void of space, but the windows had a slight orange tint to them. She could see the vibrant forests of _Illmianyar_ just barely out of her reach and she already found herself craving that dense soil again.

She didn't jump when she heard the door slide open. Instead, she turned, expecting to see Kar'kha standing there waiting for her. She was surprised to see the remaining Yautja she had yet to meet, Ikthya'de's near identical brother. She was able to see from the lack of a twisting scar on the right arm that it was indeed _not_ her normal language mentor. He approached her carefully, carrying a dark box with him as he stood in front of her. He nodded and clicked something she didn't understand, motioning her to turn and face him. She heeded his request and stepped away from the window as he knelt in front of her and set the box down, rummaging through it for what he needed. She recognized it as a sort of medicinal collection when she saw the supplies in it. He pulled out a small canister of some kind, taking the lid off of it to reveal a clear paste of some variety within. He dipped three fingers into the paste and ladled out a small glob of it, setting the container down and looking up at her, reaching for her left hand. She obliged and watched as he smeared the paste over her distressed muscles. His hand was easily enormous compared to hers and she could see him being extra careful to avoid gripping her too hard as he worked and rubbed the salve against her skin. When he'd finished with her hand, he scooped a little more paste out of the tin and repeated the process on her bruised neck and the healing gash on her temple, being mindful of both his strength and his claws as he gently covered each wound with a fair amount of the healing salve. Luar'ka was hesitant to think so, but it felt like the salve—or whatever it was— was already beginning to get to work.

"It...it kinda feels good..." she mumbled.

He looked up at her, his deep-set eyes almost glowing in the low light. He let out a low, clicking rumble and flexed his mandibles a few times before lowering his gaze back to his task. He reached into the box and pulled out a small wad of black tape of some kind. Setting the roll itself against his mouth, his mandibles held it firmly in place and she watched in amazement as he used his free hand to unroll a long strip of tape from the base before his tusks jabbed it firmly, slicing it. He wrapped the strip of tape around her hand tightly, but not so tight that it cut off circulation. Without any adhesive, the tape remained fastened to her hand and Luar'ka found that she felt no pain whatsoever as she raised her hand to her eyes to inspect it curiously. She turned back to him as he removed the roll from his mandibles' grip and set it back in the kit.

"Thank you," she said somewhat uncertainly. She still hadn't technically been introduced to this Yautja, despite having seen him a few times before. He sat back in a hunched position, eying her blankly. He tilted his head at her, blinking slowly, "Than'ja." he rumbled.

Luar'ka took a second to realize he'd just told her his name. She jolted slightly and nodded, "Right. I'm Luar'ka. I haven't met you yet, so...it's nice to meet you officially, Than'ja."

His upper mandibles raised away from his mouth ever-so-slightly, but she could see from how his body relaxed that it was a friendly gesture. He reached around for the med-kit again and opened it up once more, motioning for her to sit. She did so quickly and watched as he pulled all of the articles out of it, aligning them neatly on the floor. Most of the equipment, she'd never seen before. He gestured to the small lineup of medical articles, looking up at her briefly. He paused over the canister of salve he'd just applied to her hand, meeting her gaze briefly to see if she was paying attention; " _Ch'ka'yde_." he said slowly.

Luar'ka realized he was trying to teach her about medical treatment. She furrowed her brow, concentrating on what he said to her as she repeated the word. He nodded and moved his hand over what appeared to be the syringes used on her after her scuffle with the Bad Blood; " _Mbi'hde._ "

He reached down and picked up a vial of bright blue liquid which he held over the syringe. He did the same with a vial of silver liquid, which she recognized as the one that had been used on her. He indicated the silver liquid and then very softly reached out to place his hand on Luar'ka's head, stroking her down so gently that she almost didn't feel his touch. She knew he was trying to tell her something and she wracked her mind for the correct interpretation, "Uh...soft...no...uh, gentle. Gentle medicine?" she ventured. Encouraged by his nod, she continued, "medicine that...doesn't hurt. It didn't hurt me yesterday." she confirmed. He started purring loudly at her response and she smiled excitedly, thrilled that she could translate his actions. He set the vial down and picked up the blue one, this time reaching out to grasp her uninjured arm. To her surprise, he wrapped his hand around her wrist and squeezed somewhat roughly, not enough to hurt exactly, but enough to make her wince. He held the blue vial aloft again, pressing his sharp talons into her flesh. She grit her teeth as he moved the vial closer to her face, his expression set grimly. She frowned, "Hard medicine...," she mumbled, "medicine that hurts. It's painful, is that right?"

He nodded once, still purring, but at a slightly lower register. " _Miin'bko,_ " he said, gesturing toward the blue vial. Luar'ka nodded once and focused again as he shifted to more medical items. For the next hour and a half, Than'ja sat patiently with her, instructing her on basic medicines and how to use them. He even showed her how to fill a syringe and where to inject it depending on common points of injury. For example, he pantomimed an injury to his head and pointed to the spot of 'impact', thereby telling her that the silver fluid must be injected directly into the point where the injury was sustained. He also had her practice wrapping the strange black bandages around his arm to measure for the right level of tightness. His methods of teaching were actually quite similar to those of his brother and, Luar'ka found, no less effective. She was beginning to grasp that perhaps the Yautja aboard the small shuttle didn't seem to despise her as much as she'd thought. Or perhaps she'd impressed them with how she'd fought against that angry Yautja the day before. In any event, she wasn't complaining about the company.

Once he'd run her through the various supplies several times, he tested her on what was what and how to use it. Following a few simple mistakes, Luar'ka was able to recall most all of what he'd been able to teach her through the language barrier and heaved a sigh of relief when he rumbled deep in his chest and nodded at her, packing away the supplies into the kit. She expected him to replace it back to his utility belt, but to her surprise, he slid the kit across the floor to her. She eyed him curiously and he spread his upper mandibles, nodding once in her direction.

"I...I can keep it?" she ventured. He picked it up and placed it in her hand, grumbling softly. He was in the process of standing up when the door opened, revealing Kar'kha and Ikthya'de standing there expectantly. Ikthya'de wandered in and clapped a hand on his twin's shoulder, shaking him roughly. Kar'kha moved past them and stood before his apprentice, glaring down at her. His dark expression caused Luar'ka's pulse to pound in her ears in fear, believing she was in trouble. Maybe she was learning too much from them. He was holding a short blade in his hand, motioning her to her feet with the other hand. She obeyed and followed him out of the room, through the misty, humid corridors toward the exit. She watched as he opened the hatch and lowered the ramp leading to the ground. He descended with a backward glance to her, indicating she follow him. Luar'ka swallowed nervously and trailed after him quickly. He paused just outside the ship, turning quickly, his tendrils swishing with his movement. He faced her sternly and handed her the blade; " _Dah'Nagara_ ," he rumbled out. Luar'ka took the blade and he stepped back perpendicularly to her, (( _Your...hunt...begins...))_ he spoke slowly, carefully and enunciated every syllable of his language. He wasn't sure how in depth her studies with Ikthya'de had been, nor how much studying she'd been doing on her own since he presented her with that screen. However he was barely able to hide his surprise when her face suddenly darkened with determination and she held the hilt of the blade tightly at her side, facing him squarely; " _Ki'sei."_ she said firmly.

She actually understood him!

(( _You have until zenith. Hunt for yourself.))_

He gave her a second to work through what he'd said, struggling to hide his amazement when she appeared to not only understand what he was telling her, but also when she replied; " _Chiva-de ky'var. Kar'kha ki'sei._ " she declared. She stood to her full height, her expression set and her eyes hardened. She even understood the nature of what he was telling her to do. This was her first trial. He would see if she could bring down her own food. She was catching on, but she had much left to learn and not much time in which to do it. They would be ordered to return to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ immediately following the visit to _Illmianyar_. Kar'kha knew she had to be better prepared to handle that trip. Certainly, her communication skills were improving rapidly, despite the lapse in pronunciation from time to time, but she needed to learn how to fight, how to hunt, and how to kill.

" _Thin-de le'hsaun 'aloun'myin/bpe-de gka-de hsou-depaya_ ," he said to her. He could see she didn't understand that much all at once, but her resolve never weakened past the slightly crinkled brow. Perhaps she could sense that he'd said something important to her for her to remember. In any event, she moved past him, tucking her wings down tight against her back and turning the blade behind her as she prepared to take off. She glanced behind her briefly at him.

And then she was gone. He glimpsed her for just a moment before she vanished into the trees, the branches swaying back and forth serving as the only betrayal of her presence there.

/ooo/

It actually took longer to track her than Kar'kha had been expecting. He was surprised at how quickly she was proving to be capable of moving. From his vantage in the trees, he listened carefully for her telltale screeching. It was still early in this planet's rotation. She had until the zenith of this rotation to make a kill, or else go hungry. Truth be told, Kar'kha was a little miffed with himself; his brothers had seemingly willingly thrown themselves into roles of education for the young female, with Ikthya'de sharpening her tongue and Than'ja sharpening her mind. Now it was up to Kar'kha to sharpen her body. She had to at least bring back _one_ trophy to the clan ship. He didn't care what it was; but it had to be _something_. Anything to show that she was capable of hunting. He was too deep in this now to abandon her. If she failed, the only road ahead of her ended in _u'sl-kwe._

He finally managed to track her to a narrow ridge and he was starting to understand why Yautja of the past had often failed to track Avians on their homeworld, let alone bring one down. Even as a suckling, she was difficult to follow. She never stuck to one path for any extended duration and she constantly wove back and forth along her chosen trail, creating several heat paths that confused his sensors. Her scent was even difficult to track because as she tore through shrubs and bushes randomly, she picked up scents and musk from countless other small animals. He was genuinely curious what following her while she was in flight would be like, assuming she ever learned how. That was one thing he knew for certain he could not teach her.

She finally stopped her erratic zigzag pattern and he watched from the trees as she crouched low in the bushes, stalking a mid-sized mammal of some kind. Since hunting was typically forbidden on _Illmianyar_ , upon request by their sensitive and occasionally uppity allies, there wasn't much documentation of the fauna on this planet worth noting. Kar'kha had no idea what sort of creature this was that his ward was stalking. He only figured that allowing her to hunt for food would be okay to clear past the rules of his kind. It wasn't like she was armed beyond that _Dah'Nagara_ he'd given her. However, he could see that the creature she was eying was covered in short, stiff spines. He sighed inwardly. She was going to have to learn this one the hard way. He looked away, shaking his head in apathy. Sure enough, a few minutes later, he heard a shocked and agonized screech rend the air and turned back to see the spiny mammal was gone and his apprentice was lying curled on the ground, snarling to herself. She rolled to her feet, hissing and beating her wings in agitation as she used her teeth to rip the residual spines out of her arms. She got them all out and scraped her foot claws along the ground, venting her anger. Then, she took off again in a random direction and he lost sight of her. Deciding that was enough stalking of his own apprentice, Kar'kha finally turned back and returned to the ship to await her return, hopefully with something in her grasp.

He made his way back on board the shuttle and into the control room where he found Ikthya'de sitting there monitoring the radar while examining some broken shoulder plates.

"So, how is she faring out there?" Ikthya'de asked breezily as Kar'kha sat down at the other computer with a sigh.

"Not well. I am going to forbid her food until she can bring down her own kill."

"If that is not asking for trouble, I cannot say what is." Ikthya'de mumbled, "Do not forget; the three of us were never taught how to hunt by our lonesome."

"We were also in controlled environments. We could not escape, nor could our prey, yet the challenge remained."

"And every time we failed, our sire would be there to knock some sense into us, one way or another."

This was said with a delighted chuckle as Ikthya'de used a small wedge to pop a dent out of his lightweight armor. Kar'kha glanced over at him and then reached up behind his head, yanking the air hoses out of his mask and peeling it from his face with a heavy sigh. He was looking forward to getting back home and having it modified to fit better; the thing was far too tight against his face and constricted his mandibles horribly. This in turn made the various functions performed by their movements difficult to access. He'd been given his mask before an unexpected growth spurt hit only a season later, rendering it highly uncomfortable to wear.

"If you would trust me with it, I could start work on it right now." Ikthya'de grumbled from his control board, noticing his younger sibling's discomfort. Kar'kha rumbled something in irritated reply, but otherwise ignored him. Ikthya'de was talented as a budding metal worker; this couldn't be argued. However it was going to be a while before he would trust his brother with his prized mask, the first one he'd received and the one he'd completed his _chiva_ with. It was kind of hard to let it go when one stopped to consider these facts.

"I wonder how she will handle the _Jag'dja'd atoll_?" Kar'kha muttered, changing the subject. Ikthya'de noticed, but let it slide, "Is it more the other way around, rather? How will the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ handle _her_? Apprentices are taken from time to time, certainly. However, rarely are they as young as she. They are also rarely female, from what I understand. Was Da'dtou-di the last?"

"You would know that better than I, _mei'hswei._ She was long gone by the time I came to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_. She was not even affiliated with our clan, so how would I know?"

Kar'kha leaned back, tilting his head toward the ceiling with a rumbling sigh, "Where are Thwei'ja and Than'ja?" he asked.

"Than'ja is not feeling well. He is resting. Thwei'ja is not here."

Kar'kha blinked in surprise, "Our healer is feeling poorly? This is a bit disconcerting."

"He forbids himself rest. He believes he can do without."

Kar'kha groaned and leaned forward again, "Our mission is nearly complete, regardless. Soon we will return. Perhaps then, he will reconsider."

Ikthya'de nodded once, clicking his mandibles as he did. He jerked his head in the direction of the exit, "It would be wise to check on your student, lest something decide she would make a good meal."

"There is nothing carnivorous on this planet, _mei'hswei._ " Kar'kha said with mild irritation in his voice as he stalked out of the control room. Even so, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to check up on her.

He went outside, scanning the surrounding terrain for anything worthwhile. He saw no sign of her, nor any sign that showed she'd returned to this spot since departing it on her _ky'var_. And with Thwei'ja still missing, they were rooted in this clearing for a while, yet. Kar'kha had been forced by his sire to develop at least scant patience, making him somewhat abnormal. The same went for his brothers as well. Me'vi-te was well-known for his unique hunting tactics of sitting in wait for substantial prey to pass him by and then ambushing them at their lowest guard. It was a trick he'd picked up watching animals hunt on _N'-ithya_ and it served him remarkably well. His goal was to pass the trick onto his progeny. So far, though, only Than'ja seemed interested. While Kar'kha admitted no interest in this unusual technique, he had found the increased patience did wonders for his hunts, as well as for the in-between periods of recuperation his kind occasionally desperately required. With great power and prowess came greater necessity for rest when the need inevitably arose. As such, he chose to view this quiet period waiting for his apprentice to return as a rest period. He sat down on the ground, his body relaxed, but his mind remaining alert. Only on a planet such as _Illmianyar_ could he consider affording such a luxury as relaxing.

Gradually, the zenith of the rotation approached, much more rapidly than on the homeworld given the shorter rotational period of the planet. He looked up at the blazing sun in the sky warming his hide and sending a rush of energy through his system, the heat upon which the Yautja positively thrived. Grunting, he got to his feet and tossed his head, scanning the forest around him once more. Movement to his left caught his attention, goading him to turn. His fists clenched when he spied his apprentice stumbling out of the bushes, empty-handed, soaking wet, and covered in mud. She staggered over to him, her eyes low to the ground as she moved slowly past him. Her entire being radiated with shame and humiliation and it wasn't hard to see why. She'd failed yet again to hunt. He watched as she moved clumsily up the ramp and into the ship. He sighed heavily, shaking his head. This was _not_ going well. He could only give her so many chances before she was deemed useless to the Yautja. It was too late to take her back to _N'-ithya_ , but he supposed they could leave her on _Illmianyar_ if worst came to worst. He didn't want to kill her if he could help it.

He moved up the ramp and entered the ship, turning the corner. He paused abruptly when he saw her standing there holding the _Dah'Nagara_. She handed it up to him silently and he noted with faint surprise that unlike the rest of her, the weapon was shiny and spotless. She'd cleaned it before returning. He took it carefully and returned his gaze to her, motioning for her to go and clean up. She obeyed without a word, moving off down the corridor and the misty atmosphere swallowed her up in seconds. Kar'kha's grip tightened on the hilt of the blade and rumbled deep inside his chest.

One more chance. He could only give her one more chance.

/ooo/

That evening, Kar'kha enjoyed some downtime in his quarters, cleaning and polishing his weapons. His collections of either weapons or trophies weren't very substantial yet, but he added to both every time he went on hunts and missions with his brothers. He eyed his latest acquisition with pride; a glaive made of gleaming white bone for the blades and a smooth metallic handle. It had been his prize during his last mission with his siblings; taking down a murderous Bad Blood who had seemingly made it his life's work to hunt down and savagely murder Unbloods during their _chiva_. Six potential clan warriors had forfeited their lives against an opponent who far outmatched them, and he knew it, too. According to reports, they'd fought hard and died with honor, but even so, it was still a blow, and still infuriating. Kar'kha had ultimately been the one to overpower the monstrous Yautja, running his _Ki'cti-pa_ straight through his heart. As his prize, the dishonored Yautja's weapon now belonged to him.

Kar'kha paused as he examined a few new nicks in his gauntlets, his keen hearing listening to the ambient sounds of the shuttle. A hiss of steam from somewhere below, the comforting _woosh_ as a door slid open not far away; such sounds usually went unnoticed by him these days, especially now that most of his time was spent on ships like this. He had virtually no standing in the clan right now, with few trophies to his name and only a handful of noteworthy honorable kills. He wasn't doing too badly for a Youngblood, but he could definitely be doing better. One of his aspirations this season was to finally be cleared by the clan leaders to mate. If he impressed them enough with his accomplishments, he'd be granted permission to take part in the mating ceremony for the first time. Of course, that was only half the battle. The other half was convincing a female to even give him a chance in the first place. They were choosy beyond all belief and more often than not, Youngbloods like him went completely ignored for several seasons. Not to mention their temperaments that demanded caution from any and all males; he'd been unfortunate enough to greet his eldest sister by accident several seasons prior just a few rotations before the ceremony was due to begin. Just by being in the same breathing vicinity, she'd seen fit to slash a decent sized scar into his side before smashing him against the wall. Fortunately, of his two living sisters, the other one wasn't nearly as aggressive toward him and treated him fairly civilly whenever they met, which was infrequent. Thankfully, he didn't have to deal with his sisters very often and, truthfully, he preferred his brothers' company anyway. He was closer to them and felt more comfortable.

He sighed, standing up and replacing the short swords and spears he'd been cleaning to their brackets on the wall. He attached his mask to its fixture and secured his armor in their designated storage containers. This was a nightly ritual for him; cleaning his weapons and armor before stowing them away and then, depending on the night, walking the corridors one final time before bedding down for rest. The time it took to complete one rotation on the homeworld was the equivalent of two _N'-ithyan_ solar rotations, or so he'd heard. He didn't sleep very often as a result. He intended to tonight, though. The following rotation promised to be a busy one as they prepared to return to the clan ship.

He sighed, stretching his mandibles in a yawn as he moved out of his chambers, stepping into the darkened hallway. He could hear his brothers arguing about something in the chambers they shared, and their voices grew louder as he got closer. He paused when a loud _thump_ resonated through the corridor, followed by Ikthya'de yelling angrily at Than'ja. Kar'kha shook his head with a groan and moved on, too weary to get involved right now. It was more than likely something trivial, such as Than'ja moving one of Ikthya'de's tools or something. The metal worker in training was surprisingly particular about the placement of his supplies. They'd work it out on their own with only a few minor bumps and bruises to show for it and end the evening as comrades once again like they always did.

He passed Thwei'ja's chambers, taking care to move extra quietly, lest he disturb their cantankerous leader. He only dared to tread normally again once he'd gotten out of earshot of the door. As he neared the storeroom, however, his eyes widened in surprise and he hurried forward, pausing at the open door and peering inside.

The storeroom was empty; Luar'ka was gone!

Alarmed, he stepped inside, turning this way and that, including toward the ceiling as he searched for his apprentice. He trilled softly, his trills mixed with concerned rumbling as he concluded that the storeroom was indeed empty. He crooned a little louder, calling her out if she were still there, but even with this effort, he knew he was wasting his time. There was no answer. Nothing. She was just gone. Whirling, he left the room and quickly searched the ship, checking anywhere she might have hidden herself. He also checked the water station, since he hadn't seen her after he ordered her to clean herself following her unsuccessful hunt. Again, nothing. Trilling concernedly, he struggled to think of anywhere else she might have gone. He went back to his brothers' chambers and pounded on the door. It was quiet now, so the fight must have stopped. Ikthya'de answered, opening the door and appearing surprised to see Kar'kha standing there.

" _Me'hswei_ ," he greeted in confusion, "What is it?"

"Luar'ka is not in the storeroom," Kar'kha explained, "Did she come to you?"

Ikthya'de tilted his head, glancing back toward Than'ja who was sitting on the floor with a collection of medical texts surrounding him. The older Yautja looked up curiously, "You have lost your apprentice?" he asked in bewilderment.

"I had thought the door was locked." Kar'kha answered quietly, aware of how pathetic that excuse was. Ikthya'de grumbled low, his eyes narrowing, "We depart at daybreak, Kar'kha," he reminded him grimly, "You had best find her, and swiftly."

"Perhaps she ventured outside," Than'ja volunteered, flipping through a stack of documents, "The atmosphere in this ship is proving a challenge to adjust to. I have heard her wheezing on occasion."

Kar'kha hurried off, not even bothering to thank his brothers for the information. He headed for the main hatchway and when the sweet scent of fresh, unfamiliar air filled his senses, he knew that they were probably right; Luar'ka appeared to have crept outside. He descended the ramp quickly, looking around anxiously and still spying nothing.

Well, almost nothing. He blinked quickly and growled low in his throat when he saw Thwei'ja standing several yards away, arms folded and eyes glaring off into the trees. He stood mostly motionless, the mild breeze ruffling his long tendrils slightly. He acknowledged Kar'kha's presence without addressing him at first. Clenching his fists, Kar'kha stalked forward until he was standing abreast of his wayward comrade. Thwei'ja grunted, glancing briefly at him before returning his gaze to the trees.

"She ran off sometime ago, Kar'kha. I could not catch her in time."

Kar'kha just stared at him in mild disbelief and confusion, turning to look toward the forest as if expecting to see her reappear.

"Why are you here, Thwei'ja?" he asked quietly.

But his leader didn't answer, instead turning around and heading back into the ship. Kar'kha listened to Thwei'ja's footsteps dying away before focusing again on the darkness around him, standing motionless with his hands clenched at his sides as he scanned the trees, his sensitive eyes searching for any movement out of the ordinary. What in the world had possessed her to take off like this? Especially without clearance? He growled low in his throat, his mandibles flaring slightly as his anger rose; she was, by all points, still a suckling. However, she was quickly proving to be more trouble than she was worth, it seemed. Constantly trying his patience, constantly defying him, and of course, failing to hunt on her own. Granted, he hadn't had much time with which to instruct her properly, but he knew that he had no time left to do so. They were bound for the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ within a few hours. If she didn't return before then, they'd leave without her. Kar'kha had no choice in the matter; his priority was his clan.

Still, he had to at least try _something_ to find her. Inhaling deeply, he flared his mandibles wide and bellowed a roar toward the trees. It was a short one, lasting only a couple of seconds. It was _ka'rik'na_ , a special call used by his kind to summon others of the clan to their location. He hadn't taught her the concept yet, but she'd proven her intelligence to him several times over, now. He was certain she'd know what the call meant. He knew his comrades wouldn't answer the call, as they were all aware of the reasoning behind it. All he needed was for Luar'ka to answer it.

He called again, holding out a few seconds longer this time. Blinking slowly, he trained his ears into the air, hearing the faint chirps of insects and the barely audible hum of the auxiliary engine within the ship. He let out one final roar, clacking his mandibles together and taking a step back. The spines along his forehead stiffened and he chuffed irritably, a low rumble resonating in his chest. He huffed out a sigh, shaking his head slowly as he turned back toward the ship.

He paused as a strange new sound rent the air, this one high pitched and unfamiliar to him. It drifted on the breeze into his hearing range and he turned around again, looking around for the source of the call. It was a high, rattling wail, almost like a bird of some kind. His voice grumbled at the back of his throat as he tossed his head, pleased to find himself surprised by her once again. It seemed she had a new hidden skill every time he tested her. He strode forward a few yards as the call sounded out again, closer to him this time. He returned it with another roar and waited, watching the trees.

Gradually, she appeared. His eyes narrowed as he struggled to quash the pride he felt at her response to the summon, something he hadn't taught her, but that she'd replied to instinctively. It was impressive. But now, he knew he needed to be angry at the breach of rules created during her escape outside the ship. As he stalked forward, she appeared fully through the trees and his sharp sense of smell picked up the distinct scent of blood emanating off of her in waves. His eyes widened as she staggered into the clearing, her entire front completely drenched in drying blood, her face dark from the splatter coating it. Her eyes glimmered feebly in the darkness and she let out a faint croak of exhaustion as she reached him in the clearing. Her black down was plastered to her head from the blood and she raised her eyes to him weakly, " _H'chak..._ forgive me...for running..." she whispered.

Kar'kha regarded her in silent amazement. She was barely standing, clearly starving and still weakened from her ordeals back on _N'-ithya_. But even so, somehow, someway, she'd managed to bring down a substantial creature of some kind, which she now dragged behind her, leaving a grisly trail of blood in her wake. It looked like some sort of quadrupedal deer. Kar'kha was unfamiliar with the fauna of the planet and he couldn't be sure. But it was quite dead, its neck practically ripped out in ragged, bloody tatters. This would explain the blood; she'd used her own teeth to kill it. He noticed her feet were stained in blood as well. He hypothesized that she'd mounted the creature's back, using her foot claws to dig and gouge into its flanks while she attacked its vulnerable neck with her mouth and hand claws. When she hit a vein or an artery, the creature's lifeblood drained quickly onto her, and she was able to take it down. And now, she stood quivering before him, begging him for mercy for her transgression. He had no choice but to issue some sort of punishment. He was punishing himself already by hiding how his pride swelled at her first kill.

" _Hma'mi-de_ ," he answered, granting her forgiveness. She was still a youngling, he decided finally. For now, there would be no punishment. She was allowed a transgression here and there. The _Paya_ knew how many rules _he'd_ broken during his days as an Unblood. He gestured for her to get up, " _Rrrrrreturrrrrrn_...," he ground out.

Luar'ka heaved the carcass of the deer after her as she stumbled to the ramp. Her claws skidded and slipped on the smooth surface and she ground her teeth furiously as she struggled with the weight of her kill hindering her progress. Her chest heaving, her legs throbbing, her whole body aching like mad, she finally cleared the ramp and moved inside the ship, glancing over her shoulder as Kar'kha appeared. He reached down and snatched up her kill, motioning her toward the water station to wash the blood off. She obeyed wordlessly. He watched her go and then moved toward the storeroom, taking her kill along with him. When he arrived in the room, he removed a knife from the sheath at his thigh and bent down, digging the blade of the knife into the neck of the dead beast until he heard the satisfying _crack_ of the spine separating. The head of the deer was small, but barely damaged. His apprentice had concentrated most of her attacks to the neck. He set about to flaying the hide and skin from the skull while he waited for Luar'ka to return. Peeling the skin, muscle, and sinew away from the skull with precision care, he set these aside and carefully detached the rest of the spine from the now revealed skull. He took out another satchel attached to his utility belt and pulled out a narrow, sharp gouging and cutting tool. This, he used to carefully pierce and drain the internal structures of the skull, letting the remains of the brain and sensory nerves and tissues drip down onto the discarded hide of the creature's head. He pulled out a thick piece of leather cloth and wiped the skull clean, skillfully working it into each and every little crevice. Normally, he'd have used suction and heat treatment to scour the rest of the residue away before polishing, but the skull was fragile and he was wary of breaking it. Instead, using a special paste he kept in the satchel, he used the rougher side of the cloth to vigorously, but gently, rub the surface of the skull, removing leftover bodily detritus and slowly making it glimmer in the low light. The paste provided a finishing polish that made the brand new trophy shine. He didn't look up when the door slid open and Luar'ka stumbled inside wearily, collapsing on the floor near the carcass with a groan. Her dark coverings still bore the heavy bloodstains, but she'd washed the majority of it out, as well as cleaned her face thoroughly. She lay on her stomach, eyes half-masted as she stared disinterestedly at her kill. Kar'kha grunted shortly, swiveling slightly to face her from his seated position on the floor. Her eyes shifted to glance up at him and she heaved herself up on shaking arms, working herself into a kneeling position with her legs bent back beneath her and her palms flat on the ground for balance. Kar'kha reached toward her, holding out the deer's skull, freshly polished and gleaming in the low light. The skull was about the size of her hand; the deer had been relatively young, but already swift and tricky to pursue and catch. Luar'ka blinked a few times, slowly reaching out to take the skull from him gingerly.

" _Yin'tekai-de nain'de_ ," he rumbled out, " _Th'syra s'kbi ki-ci'ki. Yeyin, Luar-ke Lar'ja._ "

Luar'ka screwed her eyes shut, running through what he'd said in her mind and picking out words she recognized; "...Uh...honorable...honorable hunt...This skull is...is my reward?" she asked nervously. He nodded once, mandibles moving every now and then. Luar'ka examined the skull carefully, turning it over in her hands as it slowly began to occur to her just how important this event was. She recalled the skulls Kar'kha wore over his armor. He wasn't wearing them now, but she remembered them well. They were trophies, creatures he'd hunted down honorably and claimed their skulls as his prize. She had just done the same. This skull was her first trophy from a successful hunt.

She smiled lightly up at him, relief and amazement hitting her at once. That action confused him, the way she bared her teeth as if challenging him. However he could see from her relaxed body and calm scent that she wasn't challenging him, as if there were anything to challenge him for in the first place. Whatever her reason for performing such an act, she seemed content. That was enough for him to understand for the moment. She nodded, " _Yin'tekai,_ " she repeated determinedly.

He nodded again and then gestured to the carcass lying on the floor. He pointed to her and then to it, indicating she feed while it was still fresh. Luar'ka eyed the dead animal curiously, and he noted with amusement that she'd already adopted their tendency to cock her head when she was curious. Ikthya'de was right, it seemed; she _was_ a fast learner. He watched as she scooted closer to the carcass, digging her talons in with some difficulty and dragging them across the tattered flank, opening up the side a little wider and slicing a chunk of flesh and muscle free. She popped it in her mouth and swallowed quickly, eating each piece whole.

Kar'kha watched her quietly, taking note of how she consumed her food. His kind had a smaller, second set of grinding teeth deeper within their mouths, used for crunching through bone and tough-skinned fruits they came across. When he heard a familiar _crunch_ coming from her general direction, he supposed she had a similar setup within her own mouth. Watching her use her claws for shredding the flesh of the carcass, and earlier having heard her use her own vocal ingenuity to answer the _ka'rik'na_ he'd issued, he was beginning to find it oddly strange how similar she appeared to be to him. Maybe this would prove to be a beneficial relationship after all.

He tensed suddenly when he saw her shift abruptly in his direction, making him look up fully. Her face was smeared with the blood of her kill and he noted with interest that her white pupils were dilated within the stormy centers of her eyes. She was staring at him blankly as she held a piece of flesh out to him. It was one of the creature's internal organs. He wasn't certain which one. He eyed it curiously and trilled softly, musing on whether or not sharing a kill was part of her culture. Normally, unless the prey brought down was actually _intended_ for group consumption, such as mass hunts to gather food for the clan or for hunting parties, sharing captured meat was out of the question. Yautja were encouraged to look after themselves without error and this often meant guarding their sustenance kills from weaker individuals who could hunt perfectly well on their own. The only exceptions were females hunting or providing food for their sucklings, or during times of famine, of which he'd only experienced one such time. Food was distributed then, and in smaller, equal amounts to give everyone a chance and preserve the supply. Kar'kha's brothers had shared their own rations with him due to his smaller size and weight back then.

For Luar'ka to share her hard-earned kill with him, when he could have easily just stolen it from her, confused him terribly. However, reacting to her stern stare, he reached out and accepted the offering. She gave him another false challenge, as he'd taken to calling the gesture, and returned to her repast. She glanced up at him once more and nodded her head quickly. He could see she wanted him to eat it. This was by far and away the strangest experience he'd ever encountered, but it couldn't be said he wasn't fascinated by it. He raised the meat to his mouth and bit into it, feeling the lingering warmth of the animal's life still ebbing through it faintly. It was so much better than the frozen meat kept in cold storage. The warmth was something he most definitely missed.

Luar'ka suddenly moved back from the carcass and began grooming herself immediately. When she'd finished, she picked up her new trophy and examined it, turning it around and around in her hands with a small smile on her face. Her wings twitched involuntarily and she glanced back behind her, a small sigh escaping her. Her scent changed suddenly, and Kar'kha let out a low clicking rumble in response. She stretched her wings out fully, her brow furrowing. She beat them furiously suddenly, her eyes scrunched shut from the exertion and mild pain from such an unfamiliar action. Her wings almost never left her back. Kar'kha chuffed loudly, startled by her actions. She looked over at him. Now, having eaten her fill from a fresh kill she'd made on her own, and having received her first trophy as a training huntress, Luar'ka realized that more had changed in the past nine days than she'd ever dared to hope for. Having gone from near starvation and abandonment at the hands of her own clan, pursued by black demons intent on eating her alive, and then stalked by a vicious devil desiring her head, only to be apprenticed by that same devil, Luar'ka finally stopped to dwell on these amazing facts. How fortunate she was, she realized. She was still very young, but she was beginning to think more maturely. Watching the powerful, yet oddly docile creature sitting in front of her, she knew, deep down, that he was _not_ docile, that this was a side he was forcing himself to show for her sake. Maybe that would change once she'd grown more, but for now, he was strangely gentle with her. She knew so little about him, but he and his comrades had become her entire world. The ship they piloted through the void of the night had come to encompass her entire universe and her life now revolved around these strange creatures and their equally strange habits. Ikthya'de imparted on her knowledge of how to communicate with them, Than'ja sowed seeds of healing in her mind, Thwei'ja showed her important boundaries (whether or not she respected those boundaries was another matter) and Kar'kha strengthened her body and soul in ways she'd never experienced before. She'd never before felt as alive as she did right this moment. She'd ascended from a state close to death to one so full of vigor and energy, a life where she was called upon to be active and alert, useful to a community she hoped would accept her.

Luar'ka crept forward, her eyes fixed on him as he watched her move. Sitting before him, she reached back to her left wing and tugged at one of the feathers at the very tip, her invaluable guidance feathers. Assuming she'd ever learn to fly, she could never be without these. She would only ever have four to give away and she was about to use one of those chances. She tugged it free, wincing at the painful sting as she twisted back around so she faced him. She held the feather out to him, nudging it toward him. He eyed it curiously, his expression unreadable except for his eyes, which were filled with expression. Tentatively, he reached out to gently take the feather from her, sensing that this too was an important rite for her. She seemed pleased with his actions as he held onto the feather, barely large enough to span the width of his hand.

Knowing he wouldn't understand much of what she said without his mask, Luar'ka chose then to speak, confirming both to him and to herself her thoughts on the matter of her life at the present and, more importantly, the future.

"My life from before is over. I know that, now. I have a new life, Kar'kha, and I swear, I will never leave it. From this day on, I am Yautja."

Kar'kha eyed her seriously, straining to pick out the words she told him. They sounded important. He was able to catch the gist of what she said, especially recognizing his own species at the end of her sentence. He clicked rapidly, regarding her thoughtfully. He huffed lightly as he stood up and moved to the corner where her sparse collection of belongings lay. He scooped up the database he'd lent her and moved silently back to where she sat, handing it down to her. He sat again, urging her silently to turn the databank on. She did so, and the screen flared to life and shone up into the air around them. He fixed her with a stern stare and nodded to her, indicating she resume her studies. She began scrolling through the list of words and phrases, generation after generation of Yautjan study compiled into an enormous wealth of data and knowledge. Hundreds of languages existed in this device. Kar'kha felt certain she would master his language in no time. He watched, feeling his chest swell slightly with pride as he observed her reading the list diligently, absorbing everything she read with an unyielding appetite.

This was right. Somehow, he just knew that it was.

 _ **Terminology:**_

 _ **Dah'Nagara**_ \- Short Blade

 _ **Ky'var-**_ Hunt

 _ **Chiva**_ \- Trial

 ** _Thin-de le'hsaun 'aloun'myin/bpe-de gka-de hsou-depaya-_** Learn the gift of all sights or finish the dance of the fallen gods. (seemed appropriate)

 ** _Ki'cti-pa-_** Wristblades (Has been known as the combistick or spear, but this seems to be a translation error and it actually appears to refer to the wristblades)

 **Note:** I am not going to translate everything said by the Yautja in this story unless it is requested. For instance, the words of my own creation using Steve Perry's language guide. I feel I describe them well enough in sentence for their meanings to come across accurately.

 **A/N:** Sorry for the delay in the update. I was going to update on Saturday, but then I fell prey to that stupid norovirus sweeping the nation, which effectively knocked me down for two days. I'm still woozy, but at least I can move around now. So here's the new chapter and I think instead of Thursdays, I'll update on Saturdays from now on. I'm honestly not trying to confuse you guys, I swear.


	12. Twelve

Twelve

Luar'ka sat as quietly as physically possible in the cockpit on an unoccupied chair with her legs folded beneath her, watching the others work. This was a special privilege and she wasn't about to blow it. Ikthya'de had managed to successfully convince his brothers to allow her out of the storeroom to watch the docking procedure to the clan ship. They in turn had somehow managed to convince Thwei'ja that it was a good idea. How they'd managed that, she'd probably never know. He was only a few feet away from her, standing and watching their progress through the viewing portal and the screen. It was hard not to keep glancing at him. Part of her was wary of him, given his treatment of her the last time they'd been in the same room together. The other part of her was curious about him, since he was the one she knew the least about. She watched him quietly when he wasn't looking, but kept her eyes focused away when he showed the slightest sign of turning.

In truth, Luar'ka was delighted to get out of the stuffy storeroom, but she was reluctant to keep escaping. Too many more times and Thwei'ja might _actually_ shove her in the airlock. He was already displeased at her presence in the cockpit, demonstrated by the fierce looks he kept throwing her way, or how he'd snarl at her if she made so much as a peep. Kar'kha was immensely aggravated at his leader's treatment of his apprentice, but he couldn't rebuff him on his actions without going out of line. Besides, he knew Thwei'ja had every right to dislike the youngling. But so far, Luar'ka was being remarkably obedient and sitting motionless in a little ball in the chair, easily large enough to hold two or three other Avians her size alongside her. She hadn't said a word since Ikthya'de had brought her in. Before docking, he'd left for a few moments and returned with a _Naxa_ he'd been saving for the deep space sweet cravings he sometimes got. He handed the fruit off to Luar'ka and explained in sign language how to peel and eat it, demonstrating the most efficient technique which she quickly mastered. Ikthya'de's fondness for sweet foods was quite a bit higher than most Yautja and he almost always had various fruits, dried or fresh on hand to munch on when the cravings hit. He even had lists of favorite fruits he kept and their locations on various planets. No trip to a known hunting planet could be complete without the acquisition of _something_ he liked. The downside was that his irritability spiked without his treats. The fact that he was willingly relinquishing one of his _Naxa_ was a bit of a shock for his brothers, and even Thwei'ja blinked a few times in surprise when he saw this display. Luar'ka, hardly to Kar'kha's surprise, quickly handed Ikthya'de a few slices she'd peeled off from the main body of the fruit, and of course, Ikthya'de was hardly one to refuse the treat, actually purring in delight when he popped a slice into his mouth. Kar'kha had a hard time not chuckling at this little spectacle; if Ikthya'de had been trying to hide his growing fondness for the little female, he was doing a terrible job of keeping the facade going.

Than'ja chuffed suddenly from the port-side control panel where he was preparing the calibrations for the umbilical docking procedure. The ship was extremely old and couldn't handle the process automatically; the numbers had to be crunched by hand, so to speak. Ikthya'de moved to check on the calculations, ascertaining whether they were correct. Grumbling low, he typed rapidly into the computer, adjusting the data his brother had entered. Their trajectory was a bit off. He rumbled, pleased with his work and clapped his brother on the shoulder as he moved off to the other control panel to prepare to disengage the engines.

Kar'kha was handling the manual controls, carefully steering the shuttle toward the clan ship. Thwei'ja was prepared to take over for the more complicated procedure of actually aligning it with the umbilical deck.

They clicked rapidly to one another as the massive ship drew nearer and Luar'ka stared in amazement through the windows, the tinting now barely visible in the blackness of the night sky. She sat up a little straighter, straining to see out. Thwei'ja noticed her movement, turning to look at her curiously before deeming it nothing and facing forward again.

Luar'ka was sure she'd never seen anything so amazing. The ship's outer hull was long, bright windows lining all along the sides of the streamlined exterior. It seemed to hover motionless in the void, surrounded by stars on all sides. And it just kept growing larger as they drew nearer to it. Luar'ka felt her heart race as they drew swiftly up alongside it, the windows on the outside racing by and disappearing from sight behind the metal interior of the shuttle. Thwei'ja now took over for the more complex maneuvers. Kar'kha moved to stand beside Luar'ka's chair in case she grew nervous. The last thing they needed was for her nerves to get the better of her while Thwei'ja was so tense already. He made the procedure look easy as he drew the ship up alongside an enormous metallic structure at the base of the clan ship, and Ikthya'de fired the engines with a tremendous roar, slowing the ship's acceleration and dragging it upward toward the connection point. Luar'ka could feel the metal hull vibrating like mad and she reflexively gripped the side of the chair, her wings twitching. The ship rattled suddenly and a loud _clunk_ was heard before a whirring sound echoed down from above and the ship was suddenly enclosed in suffocating darkness. Another mechanical echo pounded through the ship as the hull was secured automatically to magnetized moorings. Luar'ka fought to maintain her breathing as the auxiliary engine kicked on, activating the powered down lights and bathing the cockpit in a soft red glow.

And with that, they'd arrived.

Thwei'ja barked commands to his comrades to begin preparations for disembark, The ship needed repairs and fuel before it could be sent out again. Luar'ka was able to catch him warning his crew that they'd depart again within twenty-four rotations.

He stalked out, glowering down at her briefly as he went. Ikthya'de and Than'ja both stood up as well and approached Kar'kha where he still stood beside his protege.

(( _I have to say, she fared exceptionally well for her first docking procedure; quite unlike a certain somebody I am familiar with.))_

 _((Shut your mouth, Ikthya'de,))_ Kar'kha snarled, flaring his mandibles. Luar'ka bared her teeth and hissed at both of them, earning astounded looks in her direction. Than'ja huffed out an exasperated sigh, (( _So tell me, just how much of what we say can she understand?))_ he groaned.

(( _Quite a bit, I would say,))_ Ikthya'de said with a satisfied smirk. Luar'ka giggled at this and flapped her wings a couple of times.

(( _No...talk behind...back no more.))_ she said clumsily. Ikthya'de barked out a laugh of pure amusement at her butchered reply while Than'ja shook his head in dismay, (( _Her pronunciation is atrocious...))_ he muttered.

Kar'kha fixed him with a stern glare, (( _She knows enough, and that is all she needs for the moment.))_

His brothers shrugged and Kar'kha watched as they left to tend to their assigned duties before disembarking. He knelt before Luar'ka, still curled on the chair. Drawing on what little of her language he knew, he indulged her a bit as he passed along a warning; "Nnnnnooo...fearrr." he said, gesturing to himself and in the direction his brothers had gone. Luar'ka gulped a little bit as her expression faltered, her wings sagging. She took a deep breath and nodded, her face a shade or two paler than before, " _M'di h'dlak._ " she stammered. _No fear_

He nodded and straightened up, turning away from her. She slid down to the floor and followed after him as he headed down the misty corridor. Kar'kha froze suddenly and turned back to her; " _Th'syra._ " he asked, or more like stated. Luar'ka hesitated for but a second before reaching around behind her and pulling forward the deer skull she had hanging by a strip of cloth from her tunic around her neck. He had to make sure she was wearing that. She'd garner even a scant amount of respect if she showed she was capable of hunting. They wouldn't be on the clan ship for long, and he certainly had no intention of dragging her into the main gathering hall or the exchange. If he lost sight of her for even a moment, her life would hang by a thread for any Yautja who might see her.

The _Jag'dja'd_ atoll, or clan ship was, as the name implied, the main off-planet dwelling for Kar'kha's birth clan, known as the _Sev'kai_. They were a part of a triad of clans living in this region of the galaxy who had acted closely together for centuries, so much so that it had gotten to the point of mixed bloodlines floating about. Usually considered taboo for clan members to mate with females of other clans, somehow in the last several hundred years, this habit of mixing blood had not only become more or less the norm, but had also produced many strong, resilient, and worthy Yautja who upheld the honor of all three clans in their hunts and excursions. The other two clans were the _Ki'vai_ and the _To're'ke_. The _To're'ke_ clan was well known for its diplomatic relations with certain species of former prey creatures now deemed sentient and intelligent enough to be aware of the existence of the Yautja. One such race was the _Illmorein_ , who themselves were well connected with inter-spacial affairs and used these connections to feed information and warnings to the Yautjan clans in the greatest of secrecy. The Yautja then used this information to coordinate attacks, invasions, and, most importantly, honorable hunts. Other diplomatic races included a species of aquatic, bipedal reptilian creatures dubbing themselves the _Hssinkish_. Nearly equal in their seclusion as the Yautja, the _Hssinkish_ bartered their freedom from hunts both with information gleaned from other parts of the universe, as well as access to their natural predators in the form of uniquely challenging sea beasts that few Yautja were capable of taking on. However, to bring back a skull from such a creature granted almost instantaneous rank; not every Yautja was capable of aquatic combat. Kar'kha only knew of two who had pulled it off; the Elder Sechinde, and the Arbitrator Warkha.

The other clan in the Triad, the _Ki'vai_ , specialized in covert stalker Yautja, who made it their life's work to practice the delicate techniques involved in tracking and ambush. They could afford to specialize so thoroughly only because of their connection to the Triad. Otherwise, such limitations made them dangerously vulnerable. There were individuals in the _To're'ke_ and _Sev'kai_ who resented such liberties being taken under such highly unusual circumstances, but the three leading Matriarchs of the clans had agreed to an extended trial period of these tactics for the _Ki'vai_. And for the most part, it appeared to be working. However, the _Ki'vai_ were also known to have produced more Bad Bloods than any of the other clans. Kar'kha had learned enough from their databanks following the skirmish on _Illmianyar_ to understand the Bad Blood who had attacked Luar'ka had originated from the _Ki'vai_. Than'ja had once told him that for a while, there was talk of combining all three clans into one, but that the high number of Bad Bloods in the _Ki'vai_ had put those plans on hold for the time being. Kar'kha knew this most recent incident of an entire transport shuttle loaded with _kiande amedha_ eggs going missing was an extremely serious dilemma.

Kar'kha didn't spend very much time on the clan ship. He was technically still in training. Yes, he'd achieved Blooded status, but this was only the beginning. He still had much more to learn and many trophies to hunt if he wanted to increase his rank. In a way, he was a little envious of his brothers, both of whom held aspirations that, while challenging, had far fewer challenges involved in increasing rank short of becoming exceptionally skilled at their work. The process of saving lives honorably was...complicated in their society. If you wanted to save the life of another Yautja, there were certain rules and guidelines you had to follow if you didn't want to dishonor them. Half the work of a healer was just learning all of those rules first. Than'ja had already succeeded in saving three lives, all of whom had been honorable. Ikthya'de had the task of making sure all of his crafted weapons and armor hit the highest standards possible; lightweight, durable, strong, flexible, and of course, intimidating. In a way, their chosen paths were just as complicated and difficult as the life of a full-time hunter. And until she'd earned enough respect to make any other decision, a hunter was all that Luar'ka could possibly become in their society, assuming she got to be anything at all.

Kar'kha was really beginning to wonder if he'd made the right choice. He could see now why it was usually only Elders who took apprentices. The trepidation was almost enough to make him second-guess leaving the ship with her.

 _Almost_. He wasn't _that_ cowardly. He _was_ leaving the ship and she was _definitely_ accompanying him.

He moved toward the main hatch that had been connected to an umbilical terminal holding it to the clan ship. This connection served as a gate into the ship that could be passed through freely. He glanced down at Luar'ka walking beside him. It seemed all her energy was being spent toward quelling her fear; he could see her rigidness. He thumped her lightly on the back to wake her up and she jumped, looking toward him in alarm before she realized he was just dragging her back to reality. She tucked her wings back, her hand going up to lightly clasp around the skull she now wore. It shone in the low light, reaching her clavicle from the strip of cloth it was tied to. He made a mental note to get her a chain or something to better display it. He strode forward confidently, spying his brothers waiting at the other end of the terminal. All three of them still wore their armor and masks, creating intimidating silhouettes in the mist that hovered freely even in the tunnel. Kar'kha moved to join them, glancing down once more at Luar'ka.

Ikthya'de nodded to him and then looked toward the Avian, (( _I do not know how much you understand. Should you lose sight of Kar'kha, seek Than'ja or myself out at once.))_

She scrunched her eyes shut while he spoke, but as they watched, they opened suddenly and her face darkened, (( _Follow...Ikthya'de...Than'ja...))_ she said, tripping over her words. Than'ja sighed, the sound echoing and rattling in the thin air, (( _Close enough, I suppose.))_

They existed the hatch, the door sliding open and the mist spilling into the darkened, metallic corridor beyond. Luar'ka followed them, struggling to keep her feet from slipping on more unfamiliar terrain. She stuck close to Kar'kha, but eyed their postures and did her best to copy, straightening her back and walking with her head high, her eyes trained forward.

The docking bay was dark. Crates composed of some dull metal sat in various stacks all around, presumably filled with supplies for long-distance hunts and missions. There were other terminal gates leading to more corridors and Yautja were entering and exiting them all around her. Computer terminals were occupied by individuals monitoring the progress of other incoming ships and still others were speaking with quick sounds and gestures, obviously discussing details of incoming launches and arrivals. Every now and then, one or two would look up at them as they passed and Luar'ka contained her nervousness when she would see the quick, sharp movements that indicated they'd clearly seen her.

" _U'dara'hje sk'pbe hi'kipi sei'h-sm?"_

" _Sei-i, ooman ka-mbe ti'chan'de."_

" _Ooman?!_ "

Before her, Kar'kha made a sound of disgust, but fell silent at a soft chuff from Ikthya'de. Looking up at them curiously, she noticed Ikthya'de shaking his head minutely, growling low in the back of his throat, a sound she interpreted as a warning to the younger brother.

Luar'ka swallowed hard as she followed her comrades through the docking bay, fully aware of the stares she was getting as well as fully expecting any one of the Yautja present to confront them about her presence. This was far different from traveling with just the four of them.

Kar'kha glanced over at Ikthya'de; (( _I will have to present her to clan leader. Are you going to accompany us?_ ))

(( _I cannot. Than'ja?_ ))

The oldest brother, clearly irritated at being dragged into this, heaved a heavy sigh. He looked down at Luar'ka watching him expectantly, her eyes wide and serious. His own golden eyes narrowed and he clacked his mandibles together thoughtfully, (( _Very well, I shall back you up. I am able to provide evidence at least, of her prowess thus far. She has the skull, which will serve her well, here. However, the final decision is that of the clan leader. The rest is in the hands of the Paya_.))

Kar'kha and Ikthya'de both knew what that meant. If Luar'ka wasn't cleared to remain with them, she would be terminated, either right then and there, or worse, released onto one of their game planets to be hunted by either another released prey creature, or a Yautja. Either way, it wasn't good.

Ikthya'de stepped away from them and nodded as he prepared to leave. He glanced down at Luar'ka once and seemed to hesitate briefly. By this point, it was no secret to either of his brothers how fond he was of the Avian. Ikthya'de was just an oddball that way. He finally seemed to succumb and reached down toward her, shaking her shoulder somewhat more gently than he would a normal Yautja, though it was still nearly enough to knock her over. He turned and stalked off abruptly, heading for the lower levels of the ship where the forge was located. Kar'kha looked over at his remaining brother watching his twin leave before turning to meet his gaze through their masks. Than'ja nodded once and started off in the direction of the heart of the ship. All through the dimly lit corridors, the same thick mist as from the smaller ship filled the hallways, mimicking the atmosphere on their home planet. However, on the clan ship, it was quite a bit thicker than it had been on the smaller shuttle. This was to account for the vastly larger number of Yautja living aboard the ship. The _Sev'kai,_ being one of the oldest active clans, numbered in the ten thousand, an ostensibly large number for any one clan as far as Kar'kha was aware. Therefore, the main ship was enormous.

They reached a crossroads leading away from the docking bay and Luar'ka immediately found herself lost. She watched as Than'ja moved ahead with seamless precision, clearly familiar with the layout of the gigantic ship. They passed several closed doors, and a few open ones. In one, Luar'ka shivered when she saw what appeared to be the body of a deceased Yautja being sealed inside some kind of clear casing by two or three others. She turned her head aside automatically, reacting to her instinctual urge to respect the dead as she followed Kar'kha quickly. This area of the ship was oddly cold and she wondered why, given that the shuttle had been kept at a much higher temperature than this.

Than'ja turned another corner heading away from the cold place as he continued toward a set of stairs leading up to a higher deck. Luar'ka could hear more chattering and clacking sounds coming from above as they cleared the landing. She had no idea what the different levels meant or how they were used. They passed three Yautja, all much smaller than her companions, who immediately pressed themselves back against the wall with their heads bowed low in submission to their superiors. Luar'ka gauged from their smaller statures that these were younger individuals, perhaps even close to her age. The tendrils growing out the backs of their heads were not only far, far shorter, but also in no way resembled the corded appendages her comrades sported. They were much looser, though still fleshy in appearance and resembled her own loose feathers in a way. As she and Kar'kha passed them, one of them raised his eyes ever-so-slightly just to see who they were and she watched them widen in amazement at the sight of her, momentarily forgetting himself and raising his head, allowing her to see his face briefly. His coloring was pale yellow, and not as colorful as those of Kar'kha or Than'ja, who sported intricate patterns of blacks, reds, greens, and yellows all along their scaled hides. These new individuals also sported very small, almost under-developed tusks on their mandibles and Luar'ka was now certain she was looking at juvenile Yautja. She nodded once to the one looking at her as she turned and hurried to keep up with Kar'kha, who seemed not to have noticed the sudden attention.

They turned another corner and Than'ja held his arm out to stop them as he glanced out through an open doorway. He grumbled low in the back of his throat and urged them forward, moving so Luar'ka walked between them rather than behind. At first, she wondered about his actions, but it didn't take long to understand why. As they emerged into the open, she saw that they stood on a landing overlooking an enormous room sprawled out beneath them, ovalular in shape with great pillars holding the two landing floors up on all sides, stretching clear across the circumference of the room. Thin light came from somewhere, though Luar'ka couldn't tell where. It seemed to filter down from the ceiling. It was extremely weak light, barely illuminating the room at all. Luar'ka had to strain to look over the metal guard wall set up on the landings, but she could almost see the bottom level and she could hear multitudes of voices chattering and clacking at once. She'd never heard anything so loud before, as the whole room reverberated with many voices, all Yautjan. She flinched when a deep bellow filled the room, followed by another in due succession and she heard something heavy slam into the wall of the bottom level below them. This was followed by the sounds of many angry voices all crowding into one area closer to them mixed in with the sound of infuriated snarling.

" _Kha-bj-te Jehdin-de..._ " Than'ja snarled under his breath.

He led them through another doorway near the curve of the landing, heading away from the noisy room. Luar'ka struggled to quell the fast beating of her heart as she exhaled softly. Than'ja continued down a darkened hallway with ease, unconcerned for the distinct lack of light. He paused at the end of the corridor where Luar'ka could make out another door. He turned back to them, looking down at her with an air of extreme seriousness, " _M'di h'dlak_." he reminded her.

She nodded, her face set firmly. Than'ja pressed a button alongside the door and it slid open with a _woosh_. They stepped inside. Unlike the outside, this room was bathed in a soft, blue light. Also oval in shape, it was comparatively large given the size of the door with a single, circular table in the middle. The table was made of some kind of dull metal and hollow along the center edge. Inside was some sort of device with a bright orange image of the ship being projected into the air above it. Four Yautja were seated around the table, though it was clearly meant to easily hold ten individuals or so at once. All four were unmasked and looked up as they entered. Luar'ka could instantly see that these Yautja were different from the ones she'd run into in the lower levels. These four appeared much older. What could be seen of their bodies around their armor was riddled with scars and the individual closest to her was missing an upper right tusk, as well as his right eye. As she looked around, she noticed two others standing against the wall several feet away. Her eyes widened marginally; these two, she recognized. They were the arbitrators who had rescued S'iirai and herself on _Illmianyar_ the other day. She resisted the urge to move back away from the blatant stare of the solid white one, his piercing green eyes shooting straight through her.

(( _Than'ja,_ )) the Yautja farthest from them greeted, (( _It is good to see the four of you returning honorably. I understand you had quite an interesting hunt._ ))

Than'ja stepped forward, (( _Yes, quite.))_ he agreed.

One of the others clicked his mandibles as he tilted his head to focus on the Avian standing with them, utterly motionless and making no sound whatsoever. His eyes narrowed, (( _Please explain the creature you have decided to bring with you._ ))

That had escalated far more quickly than Than'ja had been expecting. Clearly, the report could wait. He didn't wait for Kar'kha's approval as he nudged Luar'ka forward. He was inwardly amazed at her composure; except for the racing pulse she was still exhibiting, she remained relatively calm facing the Elders like this. One of the Elders stood up, moving slowly, but gracefully around the room until he stood before them, staring down at the young female. She didn't know enough of their body language yet to understand that by looking up at him and making eye contact, she was actually disrespecting him immensely. Kar'kha watched with a rigid back as Elder Sechinde eyed her silently, "So, you are the Avian, then. I have heard of you." he said in near flawless English. His voice was deep and gravelly, and lacked inflections and tone, making it somewhat hard to distinguish.

Luar'ka was briefly stunned into silence at how well he spoke, but she swallowed and nodded her head, "Yes. I am Avian."

"I must be truthful; this is quite a surprise. I never once expected to see another of your kind among the living. I believed I had seen the last with the male Avian whose head I claimed centuries ago."

He said this deliberately; testing her reaction to their hunting of her species. She didn't flinch, but he saw the flickering in her eyes that betrayed her shock, heard the brief quickening of her breath and noticed the single clenching of her fists before she settled again. He rumbled deep within his chest, "You are young. What is your age?"

"Eight."

He moved around her slowly, taking care not to startle her. She stood stiffly, her eyes following his movement while she forced her head to remain still. He paused directly behind her, forcing Than'ja and Kar'kha to step back away from him. He knelt to her level, as her head barely reached his thigh while he stood to his full height of almost eight feet. She resisted the urge to look at him, worried by his close proximity. His hand rose from his side, reaching slowly toward her back. He paused, tilting his head as he eyed her; "May I?" he asked, though the words came out more as a statement than a question.

Surprised that he'd even inquired for her permission first, Luar'ka nodded quickly, spreading her wings from their tucked position at her back. She felt his talons run delicately across her feathers, the tiny nerve endings shooting up through her spine and making her down stand on end at the contact. She couldn't decide if having her wings touched felt good or bad. He fondled her feathers carefully, making certain to not pull any free of their roots. His hand pulled away from her wings and lowered down to her right foot, gently nudging it off the floor and examining the sharp claws at the ends of her toes. The rough pads of his fingers ran across the scales of her ankle, carefully bending her knee at the joint and noting with curiosity how it bent slightly backwards rather than forwards. He released her leg, allowing it to set back down. He took hold of her right hand, again examining the tiny claws at the ends of each of her fingers, how the backs of her hands bore minute, smooth white scales like her ankles. Turning her arm slightly, he saw faint lines of black running along the length of her arm and disappearing inside the sleeve of her tunic. He carefully handled the skull hanging around her neck, turning it over very carefully as he examined how clean it was, lacking visible breakage of wear of any kind. Straightening up, he reached up to carefully grasp the side of her head, goading her to turn toward him as he stared her in the eye, his gaze flickering all across her face. His hand, nearly as large as her head itself, moved further up and smoothed her down, pausing at the inherently soft texture. The way his hand lingered at her down made her wonder if there were many things in their world that could be considered 'soft'. He finally pulled away, another deep rumble reverberating from deep within his chest. He seemed to be considering something.

"I am told," he said finally, "That Kar'kha has taken you as an apprentice. Is this true?"

Luar'ka nodded, "Yes."

"I am also told that you successfully injured one of the _kiande amedha_."

Luar'ka frowned, "K...kiahn...," she said, struggling to pronounce the word. Elder Sechinde clicked his tusks together a few times, "The words mean 'hard meat'. They are armored over most of their bodies, tenacious, strong, and fearsome. They are aggressive and challenging, a worthy prey for any true Yautja hunter."

"I...I was attacked by one...several days ago." she said softly, "It took a bite out of my leg."

She raised her leg, revealing the now-healed gouge in the scales where a chunk of flesh had been torn out. Elder Sechinde could see that it had barely missed vital tendons, which would have rendered her completely immobile.

"And yet you possessed the presence of mind to return the attack. That is not a simple feat. Yet you did not kill it."

Her downcast eyes revealed more about her current state of mind than he was sure she realized. Already, she was catching onto fundamental traditions and measures their society followed. She was grasping the fact that her attack had failed to complete the hunt, "No, I did not." she mumbled.

She hissed and leaped backwards, slamming up against the wall and Elder Sechinde suddenly unsheathed his wrist blades toward her face, missing her eyes by mere millimeters. Crouching in the corner, she bared her teeth at him on reflex, a low rumble escaping her that was not too dissimilar to the vocal rumbles the Yautja made. Elder Sechinde ignored her aggressive challenge, dismissing it as the reflex that it was as he straightened up to his full height. He turned to Kar'kha, (( _I shall turn her over to Me'vi-te for a brief time. He will test her reflexes and see the level of her raw skill, if any. If she passes muster, she will be permitted to stay. If she fails to impress him, she will be taken to one of our hunting worlds to live or to die. Is that clear?_ )) he asked.

(( _Yes, Elder Sechinde._ )) Kar'kha said firmly, though he wasn't thrilled at the idea of his sire being the one to test the youngster.

(( _Keep in mind, should her place here be confirmed, she may have to be turned over to the females._ ))

Than'ja clicked suddenly, earning their attention, (( _Forgive my impertinence, but I do not foresee any immediate issues to come up regarding the female Avian. She is of a different species and quite immature. Speaking honestly, I do not believe she will survive to maturity, Elder Sechinde._ ))

Kar'kha had to fight to hide his amazement at Than'ja's defense of Luar'ka, but he understood why. The females were far more aggressive and territorial than the males were. They had no way of knowing the sort of treatment Luar'ka would endure at their hands. It was likely they would see her as the youngster she was and perhaps try to bring her up in proper ways pertaining to female Yautja, which bordered more on the management and political side of matters. However, it was also a possibility that they would view her as a potential threat and eventually kill her. The males were comparatively more docile than the females, relatively speaking. Than'ja could see that Luar'ka's best bet at surviving was ultimately by remaining with the males. He also had no way of foretelling what sort of changes would affect things in what ways, as he had never dealt with Avians before.

(( _What do you propose, then, Than'ja?_ )) Elder Sechinde asked, tilting his head to the side, his eyes narrowing.

(( _I will provide her with frequent examinations to ascertain her growth levels, physically as well as mentally. I will keep tabs on her progress and report back to you._ ))

Elder Sechinde considered the offer, his mandibles clicking in a regular pattern as he weighed the options. He remained oblivious (or so it seemed) of the others in the room watching him expectantly. In the corner, Me'vi-te and the other arbitrator watched silently, awaiting the final judgment of the Elder. Short of consulting with the Matriarch herself, which he was known to do on occasion, Elder Sechinde was ultimately the final word on matters within the _Sev'kai_.

(( _Very well. I want her first examination done promptly. I expect nothing left out, Than'ja. You may access our archives for any information pertaining to the Avian race for consultation._ ))

He turned back to Luar'ka, now settled and standing in the corner, staring blankly at them. He nodded once in approval, (( _It is my hope that we will one day replenish their numbers to once again engage in hunts with them. I am fortunate to have taken part in such a hunt. Until further notice by Me'vi-te, she is granted clearance to stay on board. However, when she is not on Thwei'ja's ship, I want her to keep her quarters in the medical bay, Than'ja._ ))

(( _The medical bay_?)) Kar'kha repeated in confusion. Elder Sechinde looked a little miffed at having been interrupted, but he continued, (( _Yes. Remember, many Yautja will not take kindly to her presence here. I wish to fight that battle_ before _it begins. Unless accompanied, she is to keep quarters in the medical bay and is forbidden to roam alone. Than'ja, your comrades there are well-trained in neutrality. If there are any on this ship who will tolerate her presence, I believe they are best suited for it. Do you agree?_ ))

Than'ja nodded his assent, (( _Yes, I do. The medical team should have no trouble adjusting quickly to her. I shall prepare a space for her._ ))

"Good." Elder Sechinde said, switching over to English. He glanced over at Luar'ka, motioning her forward. She obeyed, standing up to move so she was placed in front of him, craning her neck back to look at him. He rumbled low, reaching out to place his hand on her head and tilting it down, "Lesson one, Avian; eye contact is seen as a challenge unless permitted otherwise." he warned quietly, his voice low. He removed his hand and she kept her gaze trained forward, her body trembling ever-so-slightly. Elder Sechinde stepped back, "How much of our conversation did you understand?" he asked.

"Enough. I am to stay either with Thwei'ja's crew or in the medical area." she said quietly. Her gaze was stiff; he wondered if she was finally beginning to understand what she was getting herself into.

"I will admit that I am impressed at how developed your grasp of our language has become," he said with a touch of admiration in his voice, "Continue to practice. Now then—" he turned back to Than'ja, (( _We still expect the report of your findings on Illmianyar. I also wish to know about the Bad Blood you ran across. I understand there were injuries sustained?_ ))

(( _Yes,_ )) Than'ja answered, glancing at Kar'kha, (( _However, they were non-threatening. I have dealt with them for all involved parties._ ))

Elder Sechinde nodded his approval, (( _Good. You are dismissed for now. Prepare the report as requested and return with it by rotation's end._ ))

Than'ja bowed as he turned and exited the room, Kar'kha and Luar'ka following closely. Luar'ka was aware the two arbitrators were watching her as they left and she slipped out through the door as quickly as possible to hide her shivering.

Kar'kha glanced at his brother and then at his apprentice. He clicked his tusks together and frowned, (( _Well, I suppose we part here, Mei'hswei._ ))

Luar'ka looked up suddenly, eying him doubtfully. He turned to her, (( _Go with Than'ja._ ))

The older Yautja cocked his head to the side, (( _Where will you go now, Kar'kha?_ ))

(( _Back to the ship. I have work I must finish. I also wish to consult Ikthya'de before I retire for the night. He tells me you have not been sleeping. Please rectify this before we depart again._ )) he said with a hint of exasperation. Than'ja rolled his eyes behind the mask, chuffing loudly, (( _Good night, Mei'hswei._ )) he grumbled with emphasis, nudging Luar'ka forward. They moved off down the hallway and Luar'ka turned her head back to watch as Kar'kha continued on down the hallway they'd arrived through, vanishing from sight in the darkness beyond. She felt slight trepidation being left alone with Than'ja as he led her through the enormous ship. She still couldn't get over the sheer size of it. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before. The walls around them were mostly plain, smooth metal. The pillars she'd see here and there supporting the walls were a different story, however. These pillars were covered in odd marks and patterns, almost like writing. The writing ran horizontally across the face of the pillars. She brushed up against one they passed and drew a breath of surprise; even though the pillars looked like they were made of stone, they too were composed of sturdy metal of some kind. She hurried to catch up with Than'ja again as he led her down a very long hallway. Gradually, they passed several viewing portals taking up entire walls and allowing one to see down through to another level. Luar'ka didn't dare move far enough away from Than'ja to look through one, though she dearly wished to.

Than'ja finally paused beside a large door and pressed the switch on the outside, making it slide open soundlessly. He stepped in and Luar'ka was instantly frozen by the heavy smells and acidic odors that slammed into her. The lights were quite a bit brighter in this room. The space was quite large and just as ovalular shaped as the rest of the rooms she'd been in. She could only assume this was to prevent any individual from being backed into a corner for whatever reason, simply because there _were_ no corners. Several large tables covered in various canisters and containers lined the room and the scent of fresh blood filled the air, making that tingling feeling return to shooting up and down her back.

Several other Yautja stood by inside the room, two working at one of the tables and muttering quietly to one another, while a couple of others were wrapping something up in a strange black gauze of some sort on another table. They all looked up at Than'ja as he approached and their gazes immediately fell to Luar'ka standing awkwardly beside him. After a few brief moments of silent staring, they all exchanged puzzled glances with one another before approaching cautiously. Luar'ka tried to listen as Than'ja explained in hushed tones what the situation was. All four Yautja seemed highly unsure about this, but unlike what Luar'ka expected, they didn't react hostilely to her whatsoever. In fact, as all four of them turned again to her, eying her up and down, it almost seemed like they were quite relaxed. One of them, a taller individual with a dark brown and red speckled hide, approached her carefully, chattering softly.

"K'vik-na." he said to her. She hesitated for a second, realizing he was in fact speaking to her, "Oh, uh...Luar'ka." she answered. K'vik-na's tusks clicked a few times in regard to her most likely unusual name. He clicked something rapidly to the others and then faced Than'ja, clapping him on the shoulder as he moved past him. The others followed suit, not bothering to introduce themselves. Than'ja watched them as they returned to their tasks. He nudged Luar'ka off to the other side of the room where another door was fixed into the wall. He opened it, revealing what appeared to be a small recuperation room for post-surgery recovery. He ushered her into it, heading over to a set of shelves built into the wall. He pulled down another one of those scratchy pelts she'd been given on the ship. Given its placement in the medical bay, Luar'ka wondered then if Than'ja had actually been the one to leave both the blanket and the meat in the room with her following her fainting spell the day they left the Earth. He handed the folded blanket to her and indicated the upraised metal platform on the other side of the room.

She assumed it was going to be her bed. He looked down at her, blinking slowly and rumbling softly deep within his chest. Luar'ka knew he could sense her nervousness. He suddenly reached down and picked her up easily, setting her down on the platform and grabbing the blanket from her. Before she could protest, he flipped it open and smothered her in it, tying it around her small body while she squealed and flailed to get away. She freed her face from the confines of the blanket and as soon as she did, he quickly pulled another side of the blanket down across her face, enfolding her even more tightly into its scratchy surface. He placed both hands on her, gently holding her down as she continued to struggle and flail, now laughing in the muffled fabric—or whatever it was—as she finally gave in and stopped fighting, still giggling breathlessly as he undid the tight folds of the blanket holding her prisoner. It hadn't taken her long to realize he was, in his own way, briefly playing with her. She emerged her head from the blanket with gasp and chuckled, looking up at him wearily. He was watching her, purring softly.

(( _Rest._ )) he said, (( _Come for you later._ ))

Luar'ka stifled a yawn as she cocooned the blanket around herself, laying down with her arm supporting her head as she curled up, "Thank you, Than'ja." she muttered.

He tilted his head curiously at her reply and she vaguely wondered what she'd said to confuse him with. He turned, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

It took Luar'ka a little while to fall asleep. She lay awake for a while, listening to the sounds of the ship idling in space, as well as the soft voices of the Yautja outside the door as they discussed their work with one another. She found it comforting that these fearsome hunters still possessed the occasional bout of playful spirit like she'd seen from Than'ja and Ikthya'de. She admitted to missing her familiar storeroom on the ship, but she supposed this room in the medical bay wasn't so bad. It was a little too dark for her liking, but she was beginning to find it cozy. Briefly, she wondered what her family was doing right then, back on Earth. Had they given up their search for her? Had they all moved on already? Or were they even still alive? She had no way of knowing and her desire to find out was fading quickly. She had a new life now, a life she was coming to enjoy very much. She found she was beginning to like the Yautja and their odd ways of living. But they were ways and traditions she could learn to embrace if they gave her the chance. She understood enough now to know that the lack of hostile reactions upon her arrival was most likely due to the sheer shock her presence brought. She was certain she would meet far less welcoming attitudes very, very soon.

Her spirit placated, her body weary, Luar'ka sighed deeply, snuggling deeper into the scratchy blanket. It had no scent, which she vaguely found odd. And that was the last thing she thought before her mind drifted to sleep.

By the time Than'ja came in a short while later to check on her, she was so deeply asleep, she never even noticed as he stood and watched over her for a short while.

 _ **Terminology**_

 _ **Naxa-**_ A type of fruit

 _ **Thy'sra-**_ Skull

 **A/N: Not much to say here. Shout out to werewolfbleu again, both because she did an amazing shout out for me at the end of her story and I wanted to stress again how amazing her Predator stories are. Not to mention some of the funniest things I've ever read. And it's also thanks to her help that critical plot points in this story are being resolved as we speak. Hopefully, it'll be much smoother from here on out. Special thanks to my guest reviewer, Cosmicskunk for finally agreeing to read and review the story. Hopefully, I can expect further assistance from you. :)**


	13. Thirteen

Thirteen

Ten days into their twenty-four day rest on the clan ship, Luar'ka was beginning to feel the strain. She was restless and irritable, finding even less to do on the clan ship than she had on the shuttle, which was hard to believe. She couldn't even study while she spent the majority of her time locked in the recuperation room in the medical bay. Than'ja would bring her food once every couple of days, the same schedule they'd lived under on the ship, but she hadn't seen Kar'kha, Ikthya'de, or even Thwei'ja in all this time. She'd begun climbing the walls again out of boredom and discovered that as long as she stuck to the grooves along the lateral curves of the walls, she could still scrabble along them despite their smooth texture. This came with drawbacks though, as one of Than'ja's comrades had come in to retrieve some supplies in storage and, having had no reason to have his guard up in case of ambush, had been so startled when Luar'ka dropped to the floor that he'd actually toppled backwards from the shock of it. Needless to say, Than'ja hadn't been too happy with her following that.

However, Luar'ka knew things wouldn't stay boring for long. With the Yautja, there was no way it could. Sure enough, on the morning of the tenth day on the clan ship, she was grooming her wings for the eighth—or was it the ninth?— time that morning when the door slid open suddenly, startling her. Her wings twitched violently and she scattered feathers, looking up in alarm as two shadowy forms appeared, moving toward her. She calmed when she recognized the Yautja approaching her. Than'ja and Me'vi-te, the arbitrator she'd seen the other day. She was a bit surprised; considering she'd seen the white one working together with him on _Illmianyar_ , she had assumed they were partners or something, both working the same job. Apparently not. She stood up, eyes narrowed as Me'vi-te drew near to her and eyed her skeptically. He turned to Than'ja and clicked something rapidly. Luar'ka caught a few words and scowled angrily; He didn't see any reason she would be worth testing. At least that's what she was able to glean from his dialogue. She couldn't be sure. But his eyes seemed less than accepting of her as he stared her down. She stood up, ruffling her wings behind her. She'd started unfolding them a lot more frequently in the past few days. In the time since her half-imprisonment in the medical bay, Luar'ka had learned from Than'ja that she would have to prepare soon for her trial with Me'vi-te. She'd begun exercising her wings more often, hoping that S'iirai's theory had been right and that they _would_ grow with proper stimulation.

She stood up tall, wings held loosely rather than tightly against her back. She had since been taught from Than'ja that eye contact was seen as a direct challenge. However, she now felt it necessary to break this rule as she met Me'vi-te's stare head on, surprising him slightly. The older Yautja regarded her stare, fists clenched at his sides. He turned to Than'ja, (( _I will be taking her for a while. You may follow to observe, if you wish._ ))

(( _Has Kar'kha been alerted?_ ))

(( _He has. He will be waiting in the_ kehrite _for us._ ))

Than'ja bowed his head respectfully to his sire and cast a furtive glance at Luar'ka. _He_ knew what was about to happen and he had an inkling that the young female at least had a guess. Her life would hang in the balance while Me'vi-te tested her. If she couldn't impress him, she would immediately be whisked off to one of their hunting planets. From there, if she survived becoming food for the voracious carnivores populating such planets, she would inevitably be cut down by hunting Yautja, who knew that anything that lived on those worlds was fair prey and wouldn't be there otherwise. The Avian would need to become strong, ruthless, and utterly formidable if she wished to remain alive.

Luar'ka followed Me'vi-te out of the medical bay, her heart fluttering nervously in her chest. She wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but she was able to garner from their serious stances that it was something big, whatever it was.

The dim lights of the corridors were just as dark as she remembered them. Her eyes were becoming more light sensitive and picked up the faint traces easily, but she was quickly becoming used to the darkness that surrounded her almost constantly. It wasn't as if the Yautja really _needed_ that much light, after all.

She was led in the seemingly opposite direction from which they'd arrived initially. They passed a few Yautja here and there, all of whom cast interested glances toward her, but never outright stared as they passed. Luar'ka was quickly picking up on the fact that her presence on this ship was an oddity, to say the least. She was starting to copy the Yautja around her, mimicking their stances as they stood, walked, spoke to one another, etc. Their society, she noticed, wasn't too unlike that of her own people, with a seeming hierarchy and caste system that appeared to be determined by skill and rank. Luar'ka recalled her own father's strength as an aerialist and fighter amongst her people and she swallowed nervously, knowing that she was about to endure trials that served as a mere shadow to the ones he'd survived. She prayed to no one in particular that he was still looking out for her.

Me'vi-te opened a door at the end of the corridor and led them inside. Luar'ka followed, noting that the light in this large room was a bit brighter than most everywhere else. The space was enormous and reminded her of that hall they'd passed upon their first arrival. Like that other room, this one was also filled with Yautja, roughly two dozen individuals strewn about the room. Some were speaking in hushed, grumbling conversations, others were sparring on their own in pairs here and there. The room, like all the others Luar'ka had seen thus far, was oval in shape. She was beginning to grasp that the Yautja disliked corners.

Me'vi-te flared his mandibles and let out a deep bellow, halting all activity in the room. The other Yautja all paused and looked up at him curiously. They took note of the alien creature in the room with him and all eyes were on him as he strode to a wide rack of an array of weapons placed against the walls. He picked up a small, jagged dagger, the blade dull and the tip chipped away. It was a worn weapon on the tail end of its usefulness, soon to be melted down and reforged into a new weapon. It was virtually harmless against the thick hide of the Yautja, dull as it was. He handed this dagger off to her and watched as she took it uncertainly. She eyed it curiously, turning it in her small hands which now gripped the handle. It was almost too big for her small hand to fully close around. She looked up at him expectantly and he moved off to the side, stopping in the center of the room as he eyed her. He clacked his mandibles together a few times, clenching his fists tightly at his sides. The other Yautja in the room understood that a trial was taking place and moved off out of the way, congregating on all sides around the room to observe.

Luar'ka flicked her gaze from the arbitrator before her to Than'ja off to the side. She had understood that Kar'kha would be there as well, but she had yet to see him. She gripped the blade she held, her eyes narrowing at Me'vi-te. They had to have known she didn't stand a chance against him. There was no way they couldn't, especially if she herself knew she couldn't win. This had to be the basis for this; to see how well she could fare in a one-on-one fight. Young, inexperienced, raw, and barely coordinated; all concepts that summed up her existence perfectly in their eyes and she knew it. The only skills she possessed were her speed and agility. Her weapons consisted of her claws, which were relatively sharp. She was still in the process of shedding her baby milk teeth, which were dull and not very useful. She watched as Me'vi-te began circling her, his sharp eyes boring into her fiercely. She turned her body slowly, following him. Watching him. Studying him. He moved with his legs slightly spread apart, his back hunched and his head lowered. He was defensive for the moment. Clearly, he even took youngsters seriously. Luar'ka matched his slow movements, never showing him her back. Part of this was the natural instinct to defend her precious wings, useless as they currently were. But the other part was instinctively knowing that if he saw her back, he would strike and she would get hurt. Her heart hammered, her breath quickened and she could feel sweat beading on her brow from the exertion.

Me'vi-te hadn't even dealt a single blow yet.

So focused on him she'd become, she almost didn't notice his body tense suddenly as he lunged forward, his wrist blades unsheathing with that familiar metallic shriek. She hurled herself to the side, narrowly avoiding his strike across her shoulder as she tumbled once, landing on her coiled legs and bounding out of his reach. She staggered once, one leg raising to knee height to balance herself as she eyed him fiercely. Her hand still clutched the dagger and she cast a quick glance at it. The Yautja around her watched as she suddenly flung it across the floor where it skidded into the wall with a clang. She instead chose to bare her claws, scraping the ground with her talons and baring her teeth at her opponent, her eyes darkening. It occurred to her vaguely that Avians were expected to be choosy in their targets, lest their delicate bodies break from the exertion. But she reasoned, _just don't get hit. Strike without being struck_.

It was easy to see as Me'vi-te moved toward her that the Yautja were almost the diametric opposite of the Avians, their bodies riddled with powerfully honed muscle, built for bearing sturdy and rigid weight to be used in devastating tandem with their incomparable durability. Already, Luar'ka could tell that distance would be her friend. She just had to avoid getting hit.

Me'vi-te flared his mandibles and jinked to the right, throwing her off guard. He swiped viciously at her with one arm as she twisted out of his range, stumbling backward and raking her claws up his arm as she moved to his other side. Her balance was off and she fell hard on her side, flailing to her feet and skipping out of his range. She started a steady series of movements in a circle around him, never giving him a steady target to focus on as she eyed him. He watched her, observing her new tactics and formulating plans of his own.

The Yautja around them started bellowing and jeering, creating a cacophonous racket that reverberated off the walls around her. Luar'ka grumbled deeply and continued to move, never staying still for long as Me'vi-te continued to study her.

Suddenly, he barreled forward, moving far more quickly than she had been expecting. He lashed out with his wrist blades and gouged them into the floor near where her feet had been seconds before. She was so focused on avoiding the blades and evading his grasp that she didn't notice his other hand lash out and grab her shoulder in a crushing grip, his talons gouging through her skin. She felt her own warm blood trickle down her front as he lifted her up, bringing his blades around to draw near her face. Her eyes snapped open and she hissed shrilly, twisting her body upward to slash his neck with her talons, mirroring his own actions and digging her talons into the soft flesh of his neck. He snarled in fury at her actions and she took this opportunity to wrench herself free of his grasp using the torque given her by her grip on his neck. The action ripped her skin around her shoulder, leaving small flecks of it attached to his claws as she lunged forward, propelling herself back to the floor by pushing off of him with her powerful legs. She landed catlike, bounding away on all fours before straightening up across the room, eying him darkly as he turned to stare at her. The slash marks running down his neck bled bright green blood which dripped to the floor below him, mingling with the red blood Luar'ka had shed while at the mercy of his claws.

 _No holding back!_ Luar'ka let out a shrill screech and broke into a bolt, running the length of the room across the center of the training hall as she built up speed, swerving erratically around him while he watched, following her movements. She knew so little about fighting and deceit, precision and timing, that she knew she was probably going to go down permanently following this fight. But she had so little to care about anymore that her own life didn't hold very much value to her, now. Baring her teeth, growling low in her throat, she skidded suddenly, her claws scraping backwards against the floor, her legs coiling as she launched herself at Me'vi-te who turned suddenly to meet her. Her vision darkened suddenly, almost as if she'd closed her eyes. But oddly enough, she found she was still fully aware of what was happening as she crashed into his upper body, burying her teeth in the junction of his neck and shoulder and raking her talons and claws across every part of him that she could reach. Her vision swam behind the strange darkness, her throat burned as she swallowed the drops of hot blood she ripped from beneath his tough skin and she could feel his own claws slashing at her as he tried to dislodge her writhing, slashing, infuriated form. When she felt his claws rip across her back, tearing feathers out and opening the fabric of her tunic, flight impulse kicked in and she propelled herself backwards off his chest, missing her footing as she landed and falling hard on her back. She struggled to her feet and skipped backwards out of his reach as the darkness suddenly lifted from her vision and she once again had complete clarity of her surroundings. Her brain felt foggy, her heart pounded almost painfully and her breath came in short, painful gasps. She was aware that half of her back was now exposed with her tunic laying in shreds across her upper body. She saw Me'vi-te standing slightly hunched, his dark eyes glaring viciously at her as his mandibles worked feverishly, the lower set extending outward as his growl intensified. Part of his face, the majority of his neck and parts of his upper torso glistened with green blood that still flowed from the many open wounds. Luar'ka was aware of her own wounds bleeding profusely and felt it cascade down her back and arms. The warmth incited her, the scent intoxicated her senses and she felt like she was losing control of her own head as she began the system again, speeding past him and jinking at erratic intervals to catch him off guard, and then leaping toward him the second she caught sight of his back and repeating the process. Again, as before, the second she closed in for the attack, her vision darkened with a blanket of black as her teeth and claws attacked his hide again and again while he roared his fury. The blanket of darkness lifted for a second, almost as if she'd just opened her eyes before it lowered down again in time for her to catch one his long, black tendrils in her mouth, clamping her teeth down around it as her claws and talons ripped at his flesh. He'd been simply angered before at his hide being ripped open, but when she sank her teeth into his tendril, he let out a trilling wail of both anger and pain and she saw stars blinking in her vision as he reached back and grabbed one of her wings, yanking her up over his head and slamming her down to the ground with a force so great she felt one of her ribs fracture immediately upon impact. The blow stunned her, her vision swirled sickeningly and she couldn't move her limbs. She heard his heavy footfalls drawing near and her instincts screamed at her to stand. Groaning, she flipped to her side, hissing from the pain of her broken rib as she staggered out of his reach. Instinct started to take over her rational mind as her vision darkened a third time, and yet she still remained fully aware of him. His blood flowing freely, his scent betraying his anger and fury directed at her, the warmth of his super-heated body as he drew dangerously close to her. She continued to stagger back, hissing and growling at him until the breath left her lungs the second she felt the wall at her back. Her senses were going haywire, now; the scent of blood hung heavy in the air, both hers and his. She could smell and taste his blood across her mouth. Her vision cleared again as the darkness raised up and her eyes met his as he stood before her, glaring down at her. Gasping for breath, hands clutching her chest above the broken rib, dimly aware that her tunic hung in rags across her shoulders and back and seeing the murderous stare in his gaze, she sat before him. Waiting. She glared defiantly up at him, waiting for him to deal the death blow. Her heart felt like it was going to give out from pumping so hard, and her body ached like mad, but she didn't look away.

Her vision started to swim and darkness now lined her sight, different from the blanket that had covered it before. As his form started to warp and twist in front of her, she struggled to hold onto reality as her head grew increasingly foggy. She dug her claws into the palms of her hands as she ground her teeth, fighting off the impending black out. She would not faint, she would _not_ sink down into the darkness!

Finally, Me'vi-te turned and stalked away from her. Even through her warped and twisted vision, she saw him approach Than'ja and noted with relief that Kar'kha had arrived as well. Me'vi-te cast one final staggering scowl in her direction before he strode off through the crowd of onlooking Yautja. She was dimly aware of Than'ja approaching her, his dark hide now a swirling green blob before her eyes. The same went for Kar'kha as he drew near. She felt herself being lifted to her feet and guided out of the training hall. The light faded along with her vision as she now walked blindly, stiffly beside Than'ja. She expected herself to collapse any moment now as her mind grew foggier and foggier. But somehow, her feet kept moving, dragging slightly on the floor, but moving nonetheless.

 _One more step...one more step...just one more, now...one more..._

It wasn't until she felt herself being lifted up and set down on some sort of metal platform not unlike her bed in the medical ward that her body finally sank down into the welcoming depths of darkness, enveloping her like a black cloud of ink in the cold recesses of the deepest, blackest ocean imaginable.

/ooo/

Luar'ka awoke in slow intervals. Her first coherent thought was... _why_? Why was she waking? She felt certain that she'd died. But then a more rational thought process kicked in and she remembered that she hadn't sustained incredibly serious injury from Me'vi-te. Actually, she'd probably done just as much damage to him while in her panicked, anger-driven frenzy. Her body ached like mad, unnervingly similar to her experience fighting that Bad Blood on _Illmianyar_. Her right wing throbbed painfully and every breath she took hurt tremendously. She released a soft hiss through her teeth as her eyes opened. The room was bathed in a soft, low red light. It was also eerily quiet. She didn't recognize where she was. This wasn't the medical bay. Or if it was, it wasn't a part of it she'd been to.

"You have awoken. This is good."

Luar'ka shrieked and leaped up, only to gasp and snarl at a horrible clenching pain in her chest, forcing her back down to a sitting position atop the platform. She raised her gaze suspiciously, spying someone standing by the door. Of course, she only knew one Yautja who could speak her language that easily and she relaxed marginally as Elder Sechinde wandered closer to her. His graying tendrils swished lightly behind him as he moved, the dozens of beads and trinkets making a pleasant clinking sound as they jumbled together. He nodded once to her, raising his upper mandibles in a friendly gesture as he indicated her to relax fully. Luar'ka willed her body to ease up as she eyed him skeptically as he paused directly before her.

"How long have you been there?" she asked quietly.

"Not long. I was informed that your match with Me'vi-te had ended, Avian. I came to speak with you."

His tone was dry and it was impossible to read his voice or face for any indication of how good or badly she'd fared. Her wings sagged as she looked toward him, avoiding eye contact, "What...what's going to happen to me?" she whispered.

Elder Sechinde made a low rumble deep within his chest, his mandibles clicking faintly as his tusks scraped against one another. He fixed his dark eyes on her seriously, "Me'vi-te was not impressed." he said, his voice low. Luar'ka winced slightly, having expected little else but was still unprepared for the news.

"I...I see..." she mumbled.

"You are clumsy in your execution, your tactics are transparent, and your strength is minimal. Your body is far too weak."

Luar'ka grit her teeth, resisting the urge to bite out some retort and make the situation worse for herself. Elder Sechinde allowed her to process his words before he continued, "Me'vi-te came away from the match with minor injuries. He had little praise."

Luar'ka nodded, keeping her eyes down. She sighed, "So what's going to happen to me?" she asked again.

"You will be sent to another part of the ship. You will spend one season with the Unbloods. Once this time has passed, you will be evaluated further for any improvements."

Luar'ka's eyes widened and her head raised, staring at him in disbelief, "What? But I thought I'd be killed if I didn't impress him." she said.

"Me'vi-te had little praise; this is true. However, he also had little to say against you, Avian. He did not deem you worthy prey. Therefore, you will remain on the ship and train for a season with the Unbloods. We shall then see where you fall from there. I would suggest you make the most of your time allotted to you. You will be moved by rotation's end."

With that, he turned and swept out of the room, moving through the doors with utmost silence. Luar'ka stared after him, too shock with disbelief to really understand what he'd told her until many minutes after he'd departed.

Another chance. She was being given another chance!

Even as this thought crossed her mind, Luar'ka couldn't help but feel somehow even further away from her old life than she'd felt before. She looked down at her clawed hands and then twisted painfully to glance at her ruffled and battered wings. She moved them easily in and out, watching their flexing and retracting with wide eyes as if she were seeing this movement for the first time. Her gaze raised to the ceiling and she thought back to her time on Earth, how she had never once believed she'd get the chance to experience her life, to truly feel alive. Fighting Me'vi-te, struggling to land a hit on him, and then seeing her death standing close enough to touch...it was a bit morbid but in that instant, she'd felt more alive than she ever had in the past. It felt like she'd been reborn, baptized in the fires of damnation and then pulled to the safety of a chaotic new regime. And her saviors were humanoids with terrifying faces and a penchant for fighting.

This was it; the final step. From this point forward, looking back was no longer an option. It would only slow her down. Grinding her teeth, she buried the memories of Earth as deep as she could, purging them from her consciousness. She knew it would take a while before they vanished completely. Physical pain, she could handle. But the mental pain was something she could do without and had no choice but to expunge. She took a deep breath...and then slid off the table, moving toward the door.

Time to embrace her new life.

 **A/N: Bit of a shorter chapter this time, but I wanted to get the point across. This is the end of Arc I. Arc II begins in chapter 14. Just warning you now, there is a time skip. It's been a while since I've done one. I'm too tired to write much. So...enjoy.**


	14. Fourteen

Fourteen

 **ARC II**

Luar'ka snarled viciously as her arm lashed out to block her opponent's attack, using her smaller size and lighter weight to twist beneath his arm and back up against his front, slashing at his exposed neck with her pristinely sharp claws. He bellowed in anger, backing away from her as blood poured from the shallow wound on his neck. Luar'ka bared her teeth in a defiant grin, her eyes narrowing as she grumbled in the back of her throat, highly pleased with herself. In training spars, the idea wasn't to inflict crippling injury, but rather to learn the proper ways to successfully strike critical spots that would lead to victory. Luar'ka had accomplished this goal, having compromised T'ne'sa's vulnerable neck. Her opponent backed off, his lower mandibles jutting out briefly in a show of aggression as he stepped away from her. Luar'ka straightened up, her tail lashing in victory as she spread her wings, baring her teeth.

" _Bpi-de!_ Good match," R'zha announced, stepping into the center of the training hall to prevent any sneak attacks from possible sore losers, "T'ne'sa, you are too slow on the recoil. You should have been able to block her movements."

The Unblood bowed his head submissively to his mentor's admonishment, nodding his understanding and backing up to join his peers on the sidelines. R'zha turned to Luar'ka, "You are still quite slow, yourself," he said to her sternly, "See that you improve on this before the next match."

Luar'ka bowed, " _Sei-i_ , R'zha." she replied.

A break from lessons was initiated from there, as R'zha had been particularly brutal today. Luar'ka wasn't complaining, but wasn't about to waste her time resting when she still had plenty of energy. So she forewent eating the dried fruit in her satchel and decided to climb the walls instead. She dug her claws and talons in and heaved herself up, tucking her wings against her back to avoid unnecessary movement that would interfere with her balance. Because of the ovalular shape of the room, she found herself upside down relatively quickly and chanced a look down at the ground where the others were milling around, conversing quietly, cooling down from their fights, or shutting down temporarily. A few of them glanced up at her passively, but otherwise didn't acknowledge her. Luar'ka didn't really understand why she always had energy to spare during the daytime hours, even during rest periods. She never seemed to run out of breath, even after an excruciating spar with R'zha or with the other students. Sure, her body would ache from time to time and she'd be forced to cool down, especially if she got overheated, but she seemed to be constantly on alert these days.

R'zha gave a loud bark suddenly and Luar'ka looked down. Rest time was over. Back to business. She scrabbled further along the wall so her body hung at an angle and she dropped down once she was closer to the floor. She hurried back into formation. She wondered what today's exercise would be. A few weeks before, R'zha had brought in a load of discarded armor fragments. The students were expected to battle each other for them. Luar'ka didn't even bother participating, not out of fear, but, as she put it to R'zha, because she already knew that literally every piece in there would be useless to her. She couldn't wear any of it; even the smallest pieces were far too large. She'd been nervous about being reprimanded for being seen as cowardly, but to her surprise, R'zha had commended her on her wisdom of knowing when something bore no use. There was no point in carrying or collecting anything that didn't serve a purpose. However, he had mentioned that she would need to find something to use for armor sooner or later, even if she had to fashion it herself.

She watched as R'zha moved to stand before his students in the _kehrite_ , eying each of them in turn.

"All of you have spent much time here, preparing for your _chiva_. The time is coming soon. Some of you show great promise. Many of you require more discipline. I am able to promise that some of you will not survive your _chiva_. You go into battle with the expectation of death and prepare to fight it with all you have. The word of the _Paya_ is final, and Cetanu shows no mercy. Within five rotations, the Elders will arrive to select three of you they deem worthy. Prove your mettle, your strength and skill, and your passion, and you will be chosen. Grow arrogant or fearful and you will be cast aside."

Luar'ka's eyes flitted to the other students watching R'zha intently. She could see no fear in their eyes whatsoever. This group showed real promise. They were all strong, confident and fierce. She'd fought against almost all of them in matches. _Chivas_ were held once a season, each time on a different hunting world. The next one was soon to be upon them. Soon, three young warriors would set out for the planet chosen for their test. Hopefully, they would return Blooded. If they failed, they would be forbidden reentry into the clan.

Luar'ka didn't bother getting her hopes up to be chosen. She wasn't part of the clan for one thing, and for another, she was still quite small. If she'd ever have any hope of gaining the privilege to go to _chiva_ , she'd need to grow to her full size first. Until then, she was still training, still waiting for the day when she could prove herself to the _Sev'kai,_ to whom she'd sworn total loyalty over a year ago.

Lessons finally ended and Luar'ka stretched her wings off to the side of the room, away from the others. She glanced back at her wings curiously, testing their movements and studying the way they flexed. They'd grown quite a bit in recent months. Her wingspan now measured approximately seven feet from wingtip to wingtip. She'd also gained about a foot in height, now standing close to five feet, four inches. At nine years of age, going on ten, this was close to the average height of a juvenile Avian. Having been around adult Avians, she'd been expecting these changes. However, there were other changes she was going through that had confused the Yautja to say the least. For one thing, her soft, fluffy, black baby down had suddenly begun to stiffen up and go limp, growing longer and now hanging slightly past her neck and partially over her face. _She_ knew that it was developing into feathers, but Than'ja had spent a fair amount of time wondering if she'd contracted some foreign disease. The appearance of her tail had also caused a bit of a stir. In Avians, the tail is an extension of the spine at the base of the skull, functioning exactly like a normal tail, but with far more flexibility to allow more balance for the almost perfect upright stance while standing and running. The bones seemed to be denser to act as a sort of counterweight while running, creating even better balance. It didn't usually appear until the onset of feather growth and when it began to grow, the process was painful. Luar'ka had spent its first few days in development in total agony in the medical bay. Than'ja, distressed and confused, had rarely left her side during those few days, occasionally sedating her when the pain began to make her feverish. At her demand, he ceased sadating her, but thereon struggled to bring her fever down during the process. At first, the long, twisting mass of feathers growing from the base of her skull had resembled a natural braid or twist. But as her muscles and nerves in her tail began to develop, enabling her to move it at will, it became obvious that it wasn't simply more feathers. Reaching down to her thighs, her tail had grown quite long and quite suddenly over the span of a year, as it was programmed to do. In fact, everything about Avian growth was programmed to be fast. Live fast, die young. Of course it confused the Yautja, who, according Than'ja, grew slowly, and matured even more so.

Luar'ka's mane of feathers was also beginning to develop, reaching just to her collarbone now and no longer sticking straight up like her down had done. She theorized that her mane would continue to grow throughout her life, as tips of new feathers began to appear further down her back, exactly where the nerve endings lay that forewarned her of danger.

This had caused a bit of an amusing problem though, especially when she found out about a certain ritual in the Yautja world. She remembered seeing those juvenile Yautja who seemed to have more loose tendrils that didn't much resemble those of the adults. They still grew in the form of tendrils, but they weren't as streamlined and appeared more fleshy and textured on the juveniles. She'd discovered why that was the case; the tendrils have to be pleated in order to make them grow as smooth, singular units from the individual's skull. She'd learned that this was a lengthy process that took months and was apparently an excruciatingly painful procedure. It was a very special and intricate method that virtually changed the physical makeup of the appendages to force them into those thin, tube-like shapes. Each flexible, fleshy appendage was still a physical part of the body that contained extremely sensitive nerve-endings and were highly attuned to sensation. During the process of pleating the tendrils, the ritual was a public event and overseen by many other Yautja, and the individual could show no sign of pain or vocalization of discomfort. If he did, the weaving would be immediately undone and they'd have to start from the beginning. It served as a form of conditioning for the individual to become less sensitive to pain, as well as a time-honored ritual. Once Luar'ka's feathers had grown long enough, they'd attempted to try to perform this ritual on her, mostly as a means to test her durability and sensitivity to pain. The problem was that while she could move her feathers, flaring them in and out in accordance to her mood, they were still feathers. Every time the Yautja performing the ritual grabbed hold of her feathers to begin the process, he'd end up ripping a handful out. It didn't really hurt her, per se, but she'd always end up turning and glaring at him for tearing her feathers out of her head. Even when he'd try to be more gentle with how he handled them, they still popped out easily with every twist. Eventually, they were forced to give up, lest she end up losing all of them. Luar'ka just thanked the _Paya_ that her feathers would eventually grow back.

However, Luar'ka had begun to methodically pull her feathers out of her head at certain points, using a knife to shear and shape the others to her liking and using the portals around the ship as a mirror to watch what she was doing. Through daily conditioning of her feathers, she'd begun to slightly mimic the Yautja tresses in appearance, though she couldn't stop some of them from growing up over and around her face. Her feathers were still growing and coming in. She knew it would be awhile before she had them completely under control, if she ever did.

Now, Luar'ka stood in the _kehrite_ on this floor of the ship, enduring yet another day of vicious lessons with the Unbloods. In the year since her fight with Me'vi-te, her strength had doubled and she was faster than ever. She turned at the sound of footsteps behind her, her eyes narrowed. Usually, only R'zha approached her and she was understandably wary of the others. Nary a day went by when she wasn't accosted in some form or another by the Unbloods she spent her time with. The Yautja approaching her was one of the older students, dark brown in color with handsome mottled red stripes running down his shoulders, biceps, back, and thighs. Luar'ka relaxed marginally; this one hadn't given her trouble before. In fact, he'd stood up for her on one occasion back when she'd first begun her tutelage under R'zha, much to her chagrin. His interference had rarely resurfaced, as she'd become more confident in her abilities and her self-defensive skills. However he still found occasional moments to speak with her between lessons.

" _G'kaun-yte_ , Thei'dah." she greeted.

"You fought well, today." he rumbled out, "Do not let R'zha discourage your ferocity."

Leave it to the Yautja to avoid pleasantries and get straight to the point. Luar'ka had long since gotten used to their brusque mannerisms. She folded her wings back and faced him, "I never let him discourage me. I rather enjoy his criticism. It gives me something to focus on."

"You do not seem to notice it from what I have observed."

"Not at all. I notice it. I also notice how he seems to favor you, recently." she added with a turn of her head and a knowing smile, "I believe you are in recommendation for the selection, Thei'dah."

He huffed heavily and shook his head, his tendrils swishing erratically, "He pays little attention to me, Luar'ka. There are others more suited this season."

"Your humbleness is going to annoy me." she grumbled, "Trust me, I never bother trying to be noticed because I know I never will be. Instead, I watch the rest of you. This is how I know you are in the running."

"You do not know you will not be chosen someday." he pointed out, moving to stand against the wall as he looked down at her.

"Of course I will never be chosen," she muttered, "Look at me, Thei'dah, I am far too small."

"Da'dtou-di was small as well. This is why she was called by that name."

Luar'ka eyed him skeptically, " _Little Knife_. I have heard of her." she said, "Even so, it does not matter. I have only been training for a season, and my time is almost up as it is. I cannot say where I will be going from here."

Thei'dah clicked his mandibles together as he raised his head, watching his brethren training on their own. R'zha was off speaking to an older Yautja on the other side of the _kehrite_. Lessons may have ended, but life continues and training was priority.

"Although," Luar'ka continued, causing him to look back down at her again. He cocked his head curiously, trilling softly. She shrugged up at him, "Maybe I will add another language to my repertoire."

Thei'dah blinked slowly and chuffed, shaking his head again, "I have no patience for words." he grumbled, "There are far too many to deal with. My sanity comes first."

Luar'ka chuckled, "You think the galaxy has too many languages, then wait until you venture to my home planet. There are hundreds spoken, there."

"How do you know of this?"

"My studies have been quite thorough." she said cryptically.

Thei'dah groaned, tucking his mandibles close to his mouth as he pictured the jumble of communication he'd have to pick up if he wished to travel to _N'-ithya_ someday as a Blooded hunter.

" _Th'ske hulij-bpe jehdin-di, Luar-ke Lar'ja_..." he muttered. Luar'ka snarled softly, "That was uncalled for, Thei'dah. And stop calling me by my full name. It sounds bizarre." she grumbled. The rapid clicking and chuffing from him signaled to her his amusement. She rolled her eyes, "Well, now that you have hopefully had your fill of harassing me, I think I will return to the medical bay."

"I will escort you."

" _Pauk._ I forgot the rules." Luar'ka grumbled, clapping a hand over her eyes. Thei'dah nudged her, "You forget the stipulations placed on your presence here? Or did it simply conveniently slip your mind?" he admonished, even though he knew he was wasting his breath.

"Where do you think I learned it from, anyway? Ikthya'de is very adamant I learn as many tactics as possible." she snapped playfully, "If you want to blame someone, then blame my brothers." she said in reference to the Yautja males who'd found her and now acted as her guardians.

She exited the _kehrite_ , moving down the corridor toward the medical bay, conveniently located close by in case of impromptu training injuries. On more than one occasion, she'd been sent to fetch healers to come to the _kehrite_ to stitch foolish young students back together again after they'd torn each other to pieces in fights.

As they were leaving, they passed a group of younger Unbloods coming into the _kehrite_ for the next training session. They both eyed Thei'dah darkly, mandibles spreading apart in defiant leers. It was fairly well known among the Unbloods that he was relatively friendly with the Avian, which was okay with most, but didn't sit well with others. To the vast majority, she was a somewhat harmless nuisance that Elder Sechinde had taken a liking to. To some, she was viewed as a true blaspheme to the honor of the clan with her mere presence aboard the ship. Luar'ka got the feeling that this would never change, though to think about it gave her a headache. She hissed darkly at the Unbloods who returned the gesture, but maintained their calm outside of the training hall. However, this didn't stop them from making use of their voices to ridicule her.

"It is a relief to know someone was willing to befriend the _pyode amedha_ so easily." one of them muttered. Luar'ka's feathers ruffled, but aside from that, she said nothing in her own defense. If engaged in verbal taunts with the Yautja, the best defense really was to just ignore them. Physical altercations resulting from misplaced temper often resulted in severe punishments. However, situations occasionally arose when even disciplined silence didn't receive the desired effect as the second youngster decided to chime in his two cents; "Thei'dah, I hope you realize the _lou-dte kalei_ is a bit immature to mate with. I can only assume this is your end goal." he said impishly.

 _That_ got Thei'dah's hackles up. His back arched and his mandibles flared as he snarled in rage at his peer, causing the other one to back up on instinct away from the enraged Yautja.

"Stop it!" Luar'ka complained, trying to get Thei'dah's attention. The other Yautja returned the snarl, stepping forward and clenching his fists angrily. The two circled one another dangerously, clearly itching to start a fight over just about anything.

Luar'ka could see where this was going, having seen it happen enough times during training. She spread her wings and flared her feathers as she let out a piercing shriek that echoed off the corridors. The high pitched tone slammed across the ears of the incensed Yautja who both shrank back at the sheer force of the decibels. It was only a short sound, lasting less than a full second, but it was enough to momentarily stun them as Luar'ka bolted forward and stopped in front of Thei'dah, "Come. Now!" she insisted, glowering at him. Thei'dah shook his head, gathering his senses once again as he turned and headed off down the corridor, piecing together the very nearly shattered dignity he held in high regard.

"Coward! You will not face me?" the aggressor shouted after them. Thei'dah clenched his fists at the hated insult, his mandibles pushed so close to his face they seemed to meld into his skin as he fought to keep his temper in check. Unnecessary anger and unsanctioned fights outside of the _kehrite_ always ended in some form of punishment. If you wanted to fight, you took it to the training room. Besides all that, he knew that Luar'ka was the real target, not him.

"That was too close." Luar'ka grumbled, "Seriously, I am getting very sick of S'kivn-a's antics. He looks for any excuse he can to pick on me."

"You can hardly blame him," Thei'dah said with a shrug, "You are quite different, after all."

"I am not _that_ different," Luar'ka muttered, "But I suppose you are right in a sense; maybe I should just avoid him better."

She looked up at him, quite literally as he stood well over three and a half feet higher than she did, "My thanks for escorting me back to the medical bay." she said, stumbling slightly over her words and making them come out stilted. Thei'dah chucked slightly, the tension on his mandibles easing up a bit.

She still wasn't allowed to roam the ship alone. The few times she'd been forced to, whether by having no one to walk with her back to the medical bay or being accidentally left behind by one of the healers, she'd almost always run into trouble by other Yautja. As Elder Sechinde had predicted, many didn't take too kindly to her presence aboard the ship. She'd only been with the Unbloods for about half a season by the time she'd earned her first scar across her clavicle in a fight against a much larger Yautja who had initially believed her to be an easy target and had learned quickly that she was to be given at least a small degree of respect. This was respect that he had shown ever since. In other words, Thei'dah himself. When he'd first laid eyes on her, he had believed she was perhaps brought in as practice for the Unbloods, simulated prey. The _Sev'kai_ were known for this unusual training tactic, as it provided all the challenge of wild prey without the chance of said prey escaping. This allowed the warrior to build fighting experience without having to worry about tracking initially until both tactics were well-sharpened. However, when he'd attacked Luar'ka, she'd surprised him with incredible speed and agility that allowed her to dodge his attacks. She wasn't incredibly strong; in fact any attacks she made to him were grazing at worst and stung at best, but the true challenge lay in simply hitting her. By the time R'zha had come in and stopped the fight, Thei'dah had already developed a healthy respect for the tiny alien female. Hence forth, he'd begun to look out for her against the less accepting students. He was easily the largest Yautja in the group, and while he tried to remain humble, he was immensely proud of his fighting abilities that had put him well ahead of most of his peers.

She treated him almost as a confidant at times, often muttering about missing her old comrades who had found her. She rarely saw them. The only one she saw on a regular basis was Than'ja, since she spent her night hours in the medical bay. But her season of training was almost up and Thei'dah had heard R'zha talking about her to Elder Sechinde when he came to inspect the students. Her speed was a facet of her skill set that had become well-known in a very short time. It had been proven already that she was going to be as fast as the _kiande amedha_ , if not even faster. For one thing, she was far lighter than they were and more lean in her build. If her training regimen continued indefinitely, it was no stretch to say she would one day be quite the handful for any Yautja hunter to tackle. _Especially_ if she ever mastered her heritage and embraced the power of flight.

Luar'ka was well aware of her minimalistic status in the clan. However, when asked or confronted about it, she also didn't appear to care. During a spar together in the _kehrite_ , Thei'dah had waited until they took a break to ask her about it, being genuinely curious, himself.

 _"Why do you care so little about your standing with us?"_

 _"What?"_

 _"Where you stand. Your place. Perhaps you could one day elevate your status."_

 _She thought about it briefly, her wings sagging as her arms dropped to her sides. Her eyes fell, narrowing in thought as she considered her answer. To Thei'dah, she appeared to be cycling through memories, perhaps recollecting old images she had buried. She finally replied, her face as stony and expressionless as any Yautja; "I do not care because there is no point. If I attain status, then fine. If not, there is nothing to be done for it. Less talk, now."_

 _She came at him again with renewed fire, ambitious passion that fueled her already swift movements and forced him to up his guard if he wished to keep his eyes._

Thei'dah didn't forget her answer that day and he still pondered her response. He was one of few Yautja who didn't mind her presence, let alone her very existence. He used it as an opportunity to learn more about her kind.

Reaching the medical bay with minimal trouble, Thei'dah watched as she folded her wings down tightly against her back, her mannerisms very closely matching those of the Yautja in regards to body language. She turned to him, "My thanks again for escorting me. It is still forbidden for me to walk alone through the ship."

Thei'dah nodded, watching as she turned toward the door. She paused, "My time with the Unbloods is almost over. I may not see you for a while. I am sure you are soon to be chosen for the _chiva_." she told him, turning to face him.

"I am honored you believe so, but I will not dwell on it." he said quietly.

"I know. However, should my prediction come true, please come and tell me immediately."

He nodded, "You have my word." he promised her.

She watched as he turned abruptly and strode down the hallway. She turned back to the door and opened it with the push of a button on the wall. It slid open, revealing the dimly lit medical ward she had spent the last season calling her home. She stepped inside, her clawed feet tapping lightly on the metal. A few healers milled about inside, conversing quietly. They looked up at her approach, but said nothing to her more substantial than a nod. She found Than'ja waiting for her in the back near one of the internal scanners. He nodded to her once as she approached, wordlessly telling her to get started.

It was time for her examinations again. She'd gotten used to the annual physicals he insisted on performing, both as a means to study her biology and to determine her growth and development. He kept extensive notes of everything he'd found on or in her, including a rather surprising discovery made a few months prior; Luar'ka's most recent scans had discovered a series of sacs running through her chest cavity connected to her lungs. Further tests and a little digging around through the archives revealed that these were air sacs and the secret to her extreme stamina. While normal inhalation provided nutrients to the bloodstream and exhalation removed them, Luar'ka's air sacs enabled air and nutrients to be fed to her blood whether she breathed in _or_ out, allowing her to continue running for long periods without tiring. This was a highly efficient system and one distinct advantage she had on the Yautja.

She stripped out of her garments consisting of scraps of fur she'd fashioned into a halter top to accommodate her wings and a loincloth tied about her waist, reaching slightly past her thighs. Both were secured by strips of leather through minute holes on the edges to tie shut. It was a design she'd come up with on her own, since her original clothes were shredded in her battle with Me'vi-te. She wasn't sure what she'd do when it came to scrounging up her own armor.

Setting her garments aside, she hopped up onto the examination table and laid down on her back. Than'ja approached then and shined a small light in her eyes, beginning his rituals of examining her. The first few times she'd had to do this, being completely naked in front of him had indeed bothered her. However, she'd quickly realized that not only did her nudity not seem to bother him, she also learned that modesty wasn't exactly a trait with the Yautja, as they were more concerned with efficiency and practicality rather than functional. There had been occasions during lessons when vicious sparring sessions had resulted in some students' various coverings getting sliced off, along with ragged chunks of broken armor. Luar'ka had learned to let go of her trepidation at such events pretty quickly, as none of the students were bothered and the fighters didn't stop until one of them had thrown the other to the ground and forced him into submission. Eventually, it ceased to bother her entirely and she no longer noticed it. As such, when Than'ja pressed his hand against her ribcage, feeling around for the shape of her developing skeletal system and occasionally pulling away to a side table to jot down notes, she simply closed her eyes and dozed while she waited for him to finish.

"No pain?" he asked her.

"No," she answered, proud of how well she communicated to him as she opened her eyes and eyed him slyly, "Not a one. No injuries received in many rotations."

"Good." he said simply, "You are getting faster."

"When can I return to you and the others?" she asked.

"When Elder Sechinde permits it." he answered, turning her onto her side to measure her wings. She glanced at him over her shoulder, "And when will he come to evaluate me?" she asked.

"When he chooses to do so."

Luar'ka sighed heavily, "Than'ja, I need to know. I have spent a whole season with the Unbloods."

"Most Yautja spend longer than that, young one." he reminded her sternly.

"Most Yautja will undoubtedly receive the blessing to go to _chiva_." she retorted calmly. Than'ja chuckled slightly, knowing she was right. He allowed her to lay on her back once again as he picked up an instrument off the table, switching it on and revealing a red laser line on the table. He ran this up and across her body, scanning her internal organs for abnormalities or sudden growth of any kind. He did this a few times since her internal structure was different from theirs and there was a higher chance to miss differences.

"I will never go to _chiva,_ Than'ja," she mumbled quietly, "They would never let me go."

"Strange occurrences are normal in the Triad, young one," Than'ja said without looking at her as he studied the readout, "Dah'dtou-di received the Blooding mark even without a _chiva_."

"She was human, right?" Luar'ka asked, tipping her head back to look at him as he moved out of her direct line of sight. He placed his hands over her head, fanning her feathers out to study them, "Yes, she was." he replied, "She befriended a Yautja in a time before my own."

"How odd," Luar'ka mumbled, "A Yautja to befriend a human."

Than'ja lightly knocked her on the forehead, "Have you already lost sight of your own origin, young one?" he teased sternly. Luar'ka chuckled sheepishly, "No, I have not."

Than'ja's upper mandibles spread apart in an amused grin as he moved to her other side, reaching for a syringe on the table beside him. He injected it carefully into Luar'ka's arm to take some of her blood for testing. She watched him calmly, her eyes somewhat glazed over. The assured, confidant way he worked was soothing. Unlike the other healers, Than'ja never seemed to lose his grip on his calm, allowing a naturally skittish creature like Luar'ka to stay calm herself while being examined.

Finally, Than'ja grunted softly and turned away, allowing her to sit up. She stretched generously, flexing her wings behind her. One of them smacked Than'ja in the shoulder, making him snarl at her in annoyance. She bared her teeth at him in response and jumped down off the table, reaching for her garments, "How is Ikthya'de faring?" she asked.

"Roughly the same as ever. He has asked about you recently."

"He has?" Luar'ka said hopefully.

"Yes. He would like to see your progress."

Luar'ka grinned, her wings extending as she turned, "Excellent. He can find me anytime in the _kehrite_ ," she said proudly, "Soon, I hope to be rid of the place as an Unblood."

Than'ja sighed, a deep, rattling sound within his chest, "Do not allow hastiness to cloud your sanity, young one." he warned, "Your time will come. Of this, I am certain."

Luar'ka sighed, "Yes, Than'ja."

She watched as he gathered his supplies and put them away, paying careful attention to every detail. He was supremely efficient in the medical bay as a healer. Luar'ka had asked him once a while back why he didn't join his Hunt Brothers more frequently. Than'ja had answered that not all Yautja could hunt full time. In some cases, there were occasionally Yautja who weren't built strongly enough to hunt and therefore, weren't worth the effort. If they didn't wish to become servant class Yautja, or _eta_ , they must hone skills in other vital areas. Now of course, the skill of the hunt and the acquired trophies were the goal of all Yautja without question, and all were required to one day pass their _chiva_ in order to advance in rank of any kind. Than'ja and Ikthya'de both held high skill in hunting, but their interests lay elsewhere and the necessity of a healer was invaluable, as their injuries did require medical attention out in the field. The same for female Yautja, who hunted until the onset of maturity when they laid down their weapons and armor as they prepared for the important duty of motherhood. All Yautja hunted without question, but not all had the skill or rank with which to gain the privilege of hunting full time.

Luar'ka sighed, remembering the deer she'd brought down as her first kill. She still wore the skull, her eyes moving to glance at it briefly still sitting with her top covering she had yet to put on.

"I will expect you for another examination within the coming season." Than'ja said.

"What? So soon? I thought this was the last." Luar'ka protested, tying her top covering around her body, struggling a bit with the straps beneath her wings. Than'ja came over and grabbed the straps from her, securing them beneath her wings quickly and easily as he moved to the notes he'd taken, "Yes. I worry about what happens when you mature. I wish to be certain of when this time arrives and what will happen."

"But you said yourself to Elder Sechinde; you did not believe I would ever mature."

Than'ja gave her a stern look, his mandibles stretching, "That was a lie, Luar'ka," he snarled softly, "I had thought you would have seen it by this point. We did not want to take the chance of placing you with the females. I must keep up appearances or Elder Sechinde will see through my charade. You must continue to be seen for regular examinations in order to maintain his cooperation for your care."

Luar'ka looked highly uncomfortable, her wings twitching behind her in much the same way the Yautja moved their tusks when disconcerted.

"Do not give in to fear, _Luar-ke Lar'ja_." he said warningly, addressing her by her full name, "Fear is the fuel toward the hunt, but it is never the pilot. It must never be allowed to take full control. Remember this and you will live."

He thumped her on the back for good measure, his upper tusks spreading in a grin. Luar'ka returned the gesture, not revealing her teeth as she stared up at him, "Thank you, Than'ja." she said. Her gratitude was spoken in her own language, as since it turned out the Yautja didn't have a word to express gratitude. Not really, anyway. If there _was_ such a word, Luar'ka figured she'd find it eventually during her studies. She moved past her mentor and into the side room she still occupied in the medical bay, intent on relaxing after a rough lesson with R'zha and the Unbloods. She scooped up her comm screen and bundled up in her little pile of thin hide in the corner, turning it on and manipulating the hologram until she came across the databank she wanted. Her eyes flew through the various words and translations in the language databanks, muttering to herself as she noted various meanings and translations. She'd discovered she had an enormous appetite for languages and learning them came surprisingly easy to her. She'd already all but mastered Yautjan, now speaking it as her dominant language. She'd also discovered sets of other languages, surprisingly diverse and informative. Many were human languages from Earth. There were also dialects from different parts of the universe. She'd started working on learning one that she came across frequently in other databanks she had access to within the system. Upon inquiring Than'ja, she learned this dialect came from the amphibious reptilian species, the _Hssinkish_. From the sounds of it, the Yautja dealt with them frequently. Luar'ka decided one day to try to learn their language, especially since she spoke English and Yautjan so fluently.

" _Hss'thma sekmet saan-nnaa meli-vna vinksho_." she muttered to herself, cycling through the hologram as she practiced basic grammar.

"You are becoming quite skilled at that."

Luar'ka jumped as Than'ja appeared in the room, setting some supplies back into their appropriate storage containers. She settled, sighing, "I think my accent may be a bit off target. And I am fairly certain that I may have mispronounced _Saan-nnaa meli-vna_."

"How so?" Than'ja asked, tilting his head at her. She sat up, eying him irritably, "Their language appears to focus on influctuation in their speech patterns to determine meaning. Different pitches of sounds produce different definitions. Pronounced correctly, I am praising the owner of his fine weapon collection. Pronounced incorrectly, I may very well have just insinuated his sister is a spiny eel."

Than'ja chuckled bemusedly at her reply, standing up, "You have come quite far in so short a time, young one. I have no doubt you will figure it out, soon."

"Well, maybe. It is not as if it will do me much good anyway, but it keeps me occupied outside of the _kehrite_."

"We shall go and join the others in the hall soon, young one." he said abruptly. Luar'ka eyed him and sighed heavily. It was time to feed. Yet again, she would be left alone in the medical bay to await whatever they could bring back for her. Her allotted rations were small and insubstantial, but they were enough to keep her nourished and energized for training.

"Very well. I will see you soon, then." she said, flipping to another section of the databank and watching as the bright red hologram suddenly turned dull orange in the air.

"You misunderstand, young one. You are joining us."

She froze, her hand suspended just inches from the hologram as her eyes widened, staring up to gaze at him in disbelief, "What did you say?"

"It is time you joined us. Your time with the Unbloods dwindles to a close, young one. You must begin to acclimate further. You will receive your own food this time."

"Am I even allowed to do that?" Luar'ka protested in amazement.

"If not now, then when?" he asked simply.

That was enough of an answer for her. She jumped up, hurrying after him as he moved out into the main ward, heading for the door. This was the first time she'd been allowed to enter the main hall. It was a congregation center for the Yautja of the Sev'kai. It was easily one of the largest spaces in the clan ship. Food could be obtained there and Yautja warriors could meet up with friends and comrades to chat or swap stories of the hunt. Luar'ka had been allowed to look over the railing from the second landing to the hall below. In the very center of the room, she'd seen an enormous fire burning in a deep, but shallow hole in the floor, providing both light and stimulating warmth for the heat-loving Yautja. She'd found the sight amazing even then, but now she was going to get to see it firsthand! It took all her discipline acquired thus far to hide her excitement.

Her heart hammered as she followed Than'ja down the darkened corridors, her eyes long since adjusted to the low light. She could hear the roar of voices in the hall growing closer and she started to feel a little bit apprehensive; she'd never been around that many of the Yautja before. She wasn't entirely sure how to react to this. But she followed Than'ja loyally, knowing he wouldn't take her there if he didn't think she was ready to handle it. It was the reason she'd never gone before.

They descended in the lift to the lower level, proceeding through the archways holding the second level aloft and into the spacious hall. Luar'ka struggled to keep her expression neutral as she took in the display before her. There were large tables set up around the room where groups of Yautja sat conversing, eating, or simply cooling down after strenuous training. Luar'ka counted about ten tables that she could see from her limited perspective. The fire in the enormous depression in the floor crackled and roared in the center of the room, the flames reaching high into the air. The voices of the many Yautja inhabiting the room were a thunderous echo and Luar'ka had a hard time distinguishing one voice over another. She continued to follow Than'ja through the wide space, avoiding other individuals whenever she could. She noticed that almost all of the Yautja present were Blooded warriors, most likely trading stories of great hunts and conquests. She noticed R'zha several meters away speaking with several other warriors he was acquainted with, all of whom bore grievous scars across their bodies. But every one of them sported dozens of beautiful rings and beads throughout their tendrils, signifying advanced rank and ability. Luar'ka had learned that even scars held honorable value to these creatures. As such, she now viewed the scar on her ankle from the _kiande amedha's_ second jaws as a sort of trophy rather than a blemish on her person.

So far, few Yautja had noticed her, and the ones who did saw she was following Than'ja. Even so, she could hear voices fall silent as she passed, eyes now boring into her in amazement, surprise and, of course, disdain and anger. Even after a full season, while most everyone had known she was on the ship, the majority had never seen her before due to her restricted territory in the medical bay. She wasn't sure how long she'd be able to go without being challenged in some way. She kept her eyes forward, doing her best not to make eye contact with anyone. She held her head high and walked proudly, keeping her nerves well hidden. Than'ja led her across the room to the other side of the wall. The way the hall was set up situated it close to cold storage where meat and other various foods were kept frozen for long periods in between clan hunts. In the last season since her arrival, the clan ship had stopped in orbit around two different planets and twenty warriors were sent down for a long time. When they returned, they brought with them an assortment of very large creatures, all very dead. Luar'ka had managed to catch a glimpse of this during one of her walks with Than'ja on a rare occasion he allowed her to wander about with him. Unlike normal hunts, clan hunts were orchestrated by many members at once and no trophies were taken. The sole purpose of these hunts was to take down substantial prey to serve as food for the clan. One of the essential lessons she'd learned under R'zha was that creatures meant for food must never be allowed to suffer. Their deaths served an even greater purpose than those of trophy kills; the meat they provided allowed the hunters to continue to live and continue to hunt, and therefore they were to receive the utmost respect and care during a hunt. Stalk silently, aim truly, kill swiftly.

The meat was either butchered right then and there and stored in the freezer units, or it was cured with various salts and minerals and hung up to dry. Consumption of raw meat was hardly a problem for the Yautja; in fact, they positively thrived on it. However, curing the meat made it last much longer and enabled hunters to carry it with them on extended hunts. Thus, more than half the meat would be salted and dried. Luar'ka felt her mouth water when her mind conjured up images of this particular method. The salted meat was by far her very favorite. And of course Ikthya'de had gotten her addicted to the various fruits the Yautja gathered and stored aboard the ship, such as _Naxa_ , or a tough and spiny fruit with a hearty and soft inner core called _M'igha_. It slightly resembled a sea urchin in shape and the spines it was covered in were brutally sharp. Getting into it was a challenge, even for tough Yautja, but the rewards were well worth the effort. The single core of the fruit not only held a taste Luar'ka could barely describe well, something akin to honey and blueberries, but it also contained a plethora of valuable nutrients and vitamins. The inner rind of the fruit could also be eaten and was also highly nutritious.

Luar'ka paused behind Than'ja as he stopped at the edge of the room. The rations for the day were laid out on another enormous table at the edge of the room, heaped haphazardly with no real organization. It was a mixture of the frozen meat that was quickly thawing as well as the cured meat. Each Yautja was allowed a predetermined share of the meat and was expected to take exactly what he was ordained to have. With over hundreds, sometimes thousands of Yautja aboard the ship and with distance between worlds changing every rotation, the ration amounts varied. The further from a hunting ground they were, the lighter the rations. This was to prevent food shortages from starting up. Right now, they were still within range of a hunting world, so ration portions were a bit more generous at the moment.

Than'ja moved forward and claimed his share of the meat, as well as Luar'ka's share which he handed off to her quickly lest anyone come to the conclusion that he wasn't obeying the rules. She waited to eat it while Than'ja assessed the rowdiness around him on whether or not it was safe to stay in the hall. He wasn't concerned for himself of course. It was Luar'ka he was iffy about. He preferred to stay with Yautja he was well acquainted with, who would either be familiar with the Avian or else leave her be out of respect for him.

A familiar bellow caught his attention and he followed it immediately, finding Ikthya'de and Kar'kha sitting a short ways away at a table beside the wall. Luar'ka's eyes widened in delight at the sight of her old shipmates and she barely managed to stop herself from running over to greet them. Instead, she forced back her happiness as they approached the other two brothers, arranging her face into a neutral expression and extended her wings halfway in greeting to them, " _G'kaun-yte_." she greeted with her eyes downward in submission. Kar'kha stood up, his expression blank as he approached her. Even though she'd grown almost a foot since he'd last laid eyes on her, he still towered over her by at least two and a half feet. He reached out and grasped her shoulder, giving her a rough shake. She exhaled in relief at the friendly greeting and looked up at him then, seeing his upper mandibles spread apart in a wide smile.

"It is good to see you are well, Luar'ka." he said.

 _ **Terminology:**_

 _ **G'kaun-yte**_ – Hi, hello, etc.

 _ **Naxa –**_ A type of fruit the Yautja are acquainted with

 _ **Mi'gha**_ \- Another fruit (my own inspiration however)

 _ **Bpi-de**_ – End

 _ **Chiva**_ – Trial

 _ **Paya**_ – Appears to refer to a pantheon of either deities or honored warriors that have passed on.

 _ **Dah'dtou-di –**_ Feminine for "Small Knife". Reference to Steve Perry's Machiko Noguchi "The Human Predator". She would've appeared in the story as a cameo, but I couldn't find a concrete timeline for her appearance and didn't want to risk screwing up the continuity. Hence, this takes place after her time. Also, since she is mentioned a few times, I will point this out now, she was NOT connected to the _Sev'kai_. This is not the same clan.

A/N: So, this was the start of the second and final arc of this particular book. I'm almost done writing it. I'm glad I got this much taken care of now since I've been with writer's block as a result of tension headaches and two weeks until opening night for the show I'm costuming. This chapter is long and ends at a weird spot because I stopped writing and realized it was dragging out too much. So it picks up in the next chapter where it left off. Anyway, shout out again to Werewolfbleu for her encouragement, as this story has changed dramatically since meeting her and all the changes have been for the better. Please check out her story again, 'Can I Keep Him', which I stress as being one of the most on point character portrayals of the Yautja I have ever seen, as well as some of the absolute funniest writing I've ever come across, usually as a result of those portrayals clashing violently with the bass-ackwardness that is our world. Show her a little love for it and show me a little love by leaving me a review to keep me focused. Till next time my lovelies!

~Luna


	15. Fifteen

Fifteen

Luar'ka wasn't sure how real this all was. She had spent nearly a full season stuck in the medical bay and training every day with the Unbloods in the _kehrite_. With the exception of Than'ja, her old shipmates from her first days with the Yautja weren't much in evidence. Ikthya'de came by infrequently to visit his brother and bring her fruits on occasion as treats, but she hadn't seen Kar'kha once since her 'imprisonment' and she had yet to see Thwei'ja anywhere in the main hall. She wasn't really complaining about that, since he still more or less terrified her, but even so, she had still sort of hoped to see him then. He was a valuable sign of familiarity to her, overpowering his tendency to intimidate her.

She used her rapidly sharpening teeth to tear at some of her rationed meat, pausing every few seconds to cup a hand over her mouth in pain before trying to continue. Once she did manage to rip off a piece, she was forced to swallow it whole, lest she aggravate her sore mouth all over again. This had been happening for several weeks now. Intense pain shooting through her jaws whenever she tried to eat something tougher than a _Naxa_ fruit. Her threshold for pain was fairly high and climbing higher every day under R'zha's brutal regimen, but it was rather frustrating that she could hardly eat the food in front of her.

Kar'kha looked over, noticing her discomfort as she tapped her teeth with her finger, testing for weak spots. He cocked his head curiously and grumbled over to Than'ja, pausing over his own repast as he too noticed Luar'ka's struggles. He huffed, sitting back and nodding once, "Teething." he said simply, returning to his meal.

Both Luar'ka and Kar'kha regarded him with surprise and skepticism.

"I very much doubt that I am teething, Than'ja," Luar'ka snapped indignantly, "I am not a suckling."

The healer looked up sharply, an irritated look on his face as his lower mandibles clacked together feverishly before flaring out in obvious irritation. He motioned her to approach him, which she did. He placed one hand on her head and used his other to force her lower jaw open. He tapped the sides of her teeth lightly with one claw until he came to one of her duller front teeth. He used the pad of his finger to lightly feel around her tooth before moving once more. Before she could react, he suddenly gripped the tooth firmly and tugged. Luar'ka yelped as the tooth popped out of her gum with little effort and she flailed backward, both hands clasped over her mouth as she glowered viciously at him. Than'ja sat back, holding up the tiny tooth between his thumb and forefinger, ignoring the glistening blood that had spilled free when he wrenched it loose. He clicked his tusks together twice and chuffed, "Teething." he reiterated.

Kar'kha looked doubtful and Luar'ka looked steamed. Ikthya'de chuckled from his place on the other side of Luar'ka's chair, "He is right, you two. That tooth would not have come out so easily if it was not preparing to do so to begin with."

Kar'kha glanced at him and then back at his apprentice as she gently rubbed the empty tooth socket, her eyes narrowed. They went wide suddenly and she gasped; "Something sharp is in there!" she exclaimed.

"Adult teeth." Than'ja said, again using very simple explanations that didn't go into detail. Luar'ka sat back down, a feat not as simple for her as it was for the Yautja; she had to literally climb up to stand on the chair and then fold her legs back beneath her before she could sit. She sighed irritably, her feathers ruffling, "I could live without more impromptu demonstrations, Than'ja." she said, finally just giving in and tearing her meat to pieces with her claws before eating smaller bites she could swallow with minimal chewing. Not that that was too farfetched a method; the Yautja didn't really chew, either. Luar'ka had learned that they possessed a small set of blunt molars deeper within their mouths like she did and only used them for biting through hard substances like bone. For the most part, their knife-like teeth just behind their mandibles were mostly cutting teeth. But their throats also weren't as narrow as hers, so her eating speed was reduced this way.

"So tell me," Kar'kha said, "How is your training?"

Luar'ka realized he was speaking to her and she turned quickly, "It goes well. R'zha has complimented me often on my agility. However, my offensive maneuvers apparently leave a lot to be desired." she grumbled at the last part, knowing she had difficulty with frontal attacks the Yautja specialized in during close combat.

"I trained under R'zha as well," Ikthya'de piped up, "He truly is brutal. But he is also a wise and seasoned warrior. You would do well to take his lessons to heart, _Gyun'r Mei'jadhi_." he said. Luar'ka giggled at the goofy affectionate nickname Ikthya'de had given her some time before. He'd managed to dig up the Yautjan word for 'feather' from the database. Ever since her feathers had started coming in, replacing her baby down, he'd begun calling her 'feather sister' every chance he got. It was almost like an inside joke between them since the others all found it annoying to no end.

Even through the noise of the main assembly hall, Luar'ka knew that these charades of peace wouldn't last. She'd never entered this room before, but she knew better than to expect an instant welcome. Even though she was treated mostly as a nuisance or annoyance, and wasn't bothered very often as a result, acceptance with the Yautja didn't happen overnight. This thought crossed her mind as three larger individuals approached them. All but one were unfamiliar, but that one Luar'ka knew well. S'kivn-a was her usual source of misery from training and nary a day went by when he didn't look for some opportunity to lash at her. He wouldn't attack her while she was surrounded by her comrades, all of whom eyed him warningly as he approached, but she knew that, as the intended target, she'd be expected to judge and handle the situation appropriately. S'kivn-a's fists clenched and he sneered, "Prey has no business mingling with Blooded warriors."

"Perhaps," she agreed, "However, I am not prey."

S'kivn-a scoffed, his mandibles flaring in mirth, "Is that so? With a body so fragile as yours, snapping your neck would be a simple feat."

"Provided you could catch me, first." she said with a leer, baring her teeth, "You never seem to manage it during lessons. I always evade you."

"You could not evade me, now." he threatened, his voice low as he glared at her. Luar'ka returned the glare, meeting his eyes dead on as he continued, "A suckling like you is almost no match for me."

"Even a 'suckling' like me knows and obeys the rules, S'kivn-a." she said coolly. Fights outside of the _kehrite_ were forbidden. After all, that's what those rooms were for in the first place. Sure, they happened frequently, regardless, but if the individuals were apprehended and restrained, severe punishments would take place. This was to create a daily training regimen for the discipline that the Yautja revered as part of their hunting heritage. She bared her teeth, her eyes narrowing as her vision darkened, the second eyelid she possessed threatening to lower on reflex; "Care to challenge me?"

She stood up and jumped off the chair, her tail lashing and her feathers twitching. Standing at just over five feet, she was easily dwarfed by S'kivn-a, who towered over her at six and a half feet. Luar'ka had worked hard over the past several months to learn to quell her fear, though the pounding of her heart pumping blood through her body, fueling it for battle could hardly be missed. A surge of adrenaline swept through her as S'kivn-a began to stalk toward her, intent on taking on her challenge.

Than'ja snarled suddenly and stood up, grabbing S'kivn-a's arm. Ikthya'de and Kar'kha also stood, eying him darkly. All three of them easily proved how diminutive S'kivn-a was in comparison just yet. He looked from one to the other, weighing his options in his head and occasionally casting flitting glances over to Luar'ka. His flared his mandibles in a rage, his body quivering with barely controlled anger. It seemed for a moment that he was fully prepared to take all three of them on to get to her. Their little space had gone mostly silent, the Yautja within earshot of the table having ceased their conversations and looked over in their direction. It wasn't hard to see what the fuss was about.

S'kivn-a eyed each of the brothers furiously before his gaze suddenly fell on the wall opposite him and he immediately yanked away from Than'ja, backing off from their table. His head lowered, his mandibles tucked close, he moved off silently without looking back. The brothers turned to where his gaze had fallen and all three held perfectly still; a few Arbitrators had gathered at a table across the room and had stood up when they noticed the commotion. All three of them were staring over in their direction silently, not budging. They were judging the situation before acting. Ikthya'de made a show of sitting back down slowly, pushing Luar'ka back into her chair as he did. Than'ja and Kar'kha followed suit and resumed eating quietly. Luar'ka kept her head bowed, doing her best to resist looking behind her, curious as she was. Eventually, her curiosity won out and once the rest of the crowd had wisely turned away from their table, she cast a quick, furtive glance back.

The Arbitrators had returned to their seats, resuming their conversation. She easily picked out Me'vi-te among them, her sharp eyes noticing the many minute scars around his uncovered neck and shoulders; the scars she herself had caused during their fight the previous season. Her eyes narrowed when she also caught sight of that white Yautja again, the one who had saved her and S'iirai on _Illmianyar_ before. He was absurdly easy to pick out of the crowd of forest colored Yautja, lacking both normal pigmentation as well as striped and spotted patterns that normal individuals carried. There was something about him that unnerved her; maybe it was the fact that he was just so stark white compared to his comrades. She wasn't sure.

She jumped when he suddenly turned back toward her, glowering in her direction. She whirled back around as he flared his lower mandibles aggressively at her, even from that distance. Clearly, he didn't appreciate being stared at. She shuddered once, shaking off the unease of the near scrape and now realizing how stupid she'd been goading S'kivn-a on like that. When one was being taunted into a match, not out of respect or boredom but out of maliciousness and intent to harm, unless there was a fair amount of confidence, it was just best to ignore. At her current level, Luar'ka knew that she had no prayer of besting any of the Yautja in a match right now. Her only advantage was her speed and that wasn't enough to bring down an opponent. A real match involved being able to reasonably measure up to your opponent. Every day of her life was spent maintaining a delicate balance of submission and growing confidence, allowing her limited dominance to start to grow bit by tiny bit. Besides, it wasn't like she was really allowed to take part in a match anyway. Sure, she hadn't been challenged yet, but it was only a matter of time. She eyed S'kivn-a from across the room where he now sat with a few of the other Unbloods, all of them discussing something in hushed detail. Over the roar of voices throughout the room, there was no way to tell what they were speaking about.

But Luar'ka knew it couldn't be good. This feeling intensified when S'kivn-a glared over at her, his eyes shadowed ominously.

Over the months, Luar'ka had learned that that familiar tingling sensation that shot through her neck and spine had meant impending danger as warning her through her instincts. However, she had also learned what caused it. They were the nerves in placement to where her feathers were either developed, or in development. In response to synapses sent through her brain throughout her body, her feathers would flare out from her head when she was nervous or anticipative. Now, as she studied S'kivn-a staring murderously at her, she understood the gravity of her situation.

She had a feeling she would be skipping training the next day.

/ooo/

No such luck. Luar'ka silently complained to herself about her predicament as she easily dodged Thei'dah's sharp swipe toward her face, ducking around him and pushing off the floor to latch onto his neck. He roared in surprise at the unexpected attack and lashed backwards, trying to grab her as she clamped her jaws down around his neck, her tiny fangs barely breaking his tough hide. He froze when he felt the pinpricks against the front of his throat, knowing she'd won. The point of these sparring sessions wasn't to injure; it was simply to determine who was better with each match. Thei'dah fell still, grumbling as Luar'ka initially struggled to yank her teeth out of his thick skin, finally succeeding with a sharp grunt and throwing herself to the floor. She stood up, looking up at him, "Forgive me for that; my tooth must have gotten lodged in your skin for a moment."

"You did no permanent damage." he told her, "And you have bested me this round."

"Barely. You are getting nearly fast enough to match me. Do not forget; the only reason I win so often is due to my speed. Take that away and I would be no match whatsoever."

Thei'dah made a huffing sound in irritation and tossed his head, "Another round?" he asked.

Luar'ka lunged at him, fangs bared.

All around them, their peers were busy sparring, preparing for the inevitable examinations they were to face soon. Elder Sechinde could arrive at any time. All students knew that if any one of them appeared tired or not up to muster in any way, they would be overlooked without question. Only Luar'ka was relatively unfazed; she knew she would not be chosen.

Even so, even with all she'd learned and accomplished in such a short time, all of her knowledge and skill in fighting, her tremendous speed and her wings finally beginning to take shape, she still felt a twinge of bitterness. She looked at her peers, fighting fiercely and passionately for the coveted honor they all sought and desired above all else. The _kiande amedha_ they had trained their whole lives to fight against and either emerge victorious and Blooded, or perish in disgrace. She ground her teeth in a fury at the memories of her own struggles against those black monsters, how she'd survived against an attacking beast not once, but twice, and even successfully injured one. If only she'd killed it...she could have received the Blessing...maybe. She'd fought them before and she knew she could do it again if given the chance. And what was stopping her? Her own misfortune of being born on _N'-ithya!_ That's what!

She screamed in rage, her fury fueling her muscles as she launched above Thei'dah and attacked him from above, something he certainly hadn't been expecting. The combination of him raising his head to follow her intense bound into the air and the sudden weight as she landed on his shoulder and sank her teeth into one of his tendrils caused his center of gravity to shift, throwing him into an irrevocable tumble backwards. They landed hard, Thei'dah's near two-hundred pound body of raw muscle, tendons, and reinforced bone all but crushing her left arm beneath his solid weight. Luar'ka let out a sharp shriek and he reacted almost instantaneously, rolling off of her and bolting into a crouched position, eying her darkly as she picked herself up, clutching her arm. He wasn't moving. He seemed to be waiting for her to move first, or else say something. She felt her blood boiling in anger at his hesitation. Whether that had been an accident or not, it was still a critical blow. She glared dangerously at him, "Do not just stare at me! Finish the job!" she snarled. Thei'dah flared his mandibles and lashed out, grabbing her throat and hauling her into the air. He slammed her back to the ground, standing over her victoriously as she shuddered on the floor beneath him. The fight was his and the others had seen it happen. The match over, he dropped down beside her, rumbling deep within his chest as he examined her. Her breathing was labored and it was clear she was in great pain. Thei'dah had a hard time grasping as to why she would be; he'd held back for her sake once he realized he'd broken her arm when he landed on her. It definitely could have been a lot worse. He trilled softly and her eyes opened. Her face was expressionless as she exhaled shakily, " _Nain desintje-de_ , Thei'dah." she muttered.

"That was very well done, Thei'dah." R'zha said suddenly as he approached from across the room, "Always seek to use a disadvantage to your own benefit. You have succeeded."

Thei'dah stood up and bowed respectfully to his mentor. But his gaze returned to Luar'ka as she rolled to her side and struggled to sit up, her wings sagging. R'zha clicked his mandibles together, "You are foolish to allow your thoughts to cloud over your instincts, Luar'ka." he reprimanded, "Whatever troubles you cannot be allowed to interfere with the hunt. Your prey will not be so merciful. You are dismissed for now. Return to the medical bay and seek treatment."

He turned to resume training as the other students milled around, curious to R'zha's actions and words against the female Avian. Among the group, S'kivn-a eyed her dangerously, his gaze shifting back and forth from Luar'ka to Thei'dah as he processed the situation. His eyes widened when he saw her stagger to her feet, her tail lashing behind her as she fought for balance. She stared at R'zha's retreating back, "I can fight!" she exclaimed.

The older male paused, turning back to her curiously. He frowned when he saw her attempt to straighten up, only to gasp and clutch at her chest where ribs were clearly broken from the impact. Her left arm hung limply at her side, already turning sickly shades of green and purple from her injuries.

"You are dismissed." he said again, his voice low.

"I can keep going! I will not go down so easily," she hissed, "Especially to prey! I would never fall that easily!"

R'zha let out a low warning growl, his hands clenching at his sides. Luar'ka did indeed notice his sudden tense stance as he eyed her. She knew she could continue to argue and face even worse than she had received now, or she could obey and return to fight another day. R'zha was giving her the chance to think it over. Biting back her fury, she exhaled softly, her erect feathers slowly drooping back down to her head. Her wings and tail hung limply and she sighed, " _Ki'sei._ " she mumbled. She bowed as best she could with her injuries, fighting to hold in the hiss of pain. She turned, moving toward the door slowly. She walked as tall and straight as she could until she felt the door close behind her. Only then did she sag in pain from her wounds.

Making her way back to the medical bay wasn't a problem this time around, thankfully. However, Than'ja was more than a little shocked at her condition when she arrived. Ikthya'de was there as well, visiting his brother.

" _Mei'jadhi._ " he muttered when he saw her battered and bruised form appear in the doorway.

"What in...?" Than'ja muttered, moving toward Luar'ka. They were quite unused to seeing her return so thoroughly beaten as she was now. She sighed, stumbling over to them, "It is nothing to worry about," she muttered, "Just bruising. R'zha ordered me to leave for today."

Luar'ka didn't usually return injured to this extent; she was often too fast to lay a hand on. So for her to come back in this condition was a bit of a surprise for the brothers.

Ikthya'de hung back while Than'ja examined Luar'ka, setting her up on the table and feeling around her ribcage with surprising gentleness. He let out a low rumble, clicking his tusks together thoughtfully, "Four and five broken...eight, nine and two are likely fractured...as for your arm...," he mumbled, moving to her other side and lifting her left arm. She hissed softly, but other than that, made no other exhalations of pain. Than'ja huffed lightly, "While I do not know the extent of its damage, I can promise that you will not be fighting for several rotations at least." he said calmly.

Luar'ka's face didn't change, but Than'ja didn't miss her turning her head to hide the odd shine in her eyes all of a sudden, "I see." she said flatly.

She waited patiently as he worked on her. He injected a deep blue fluid into her skin above each of the damaged ribs. He explained that this medicine would coat each bone, encasing it in a protective cover and allowing it to heal even while she was moving around. He did the same for her arm; a quick scan showed that it was broken in four spots along the radius and once along the ulna, the latter appearing only as a hairline break. He injected the same fluid over the two bones, enveloping them in the protective casing. The fluid was viscous and thick and felt icy cold once in place within her body. She started shivering as the chill began to seep through her body, feeling like her bones were being flash frozen. He did the same procedure for a large knot on her head where she'd collided with the floor. He then muttered something to Ikthya'de who left the room abruptly. Than'ja helped Luar'ka to her feet and watched as she stumbled toward the storeroom to sleep. His eyes narrowed and he glanced at the readout from the scan he'd taken, sighing heavily and shaking his head. When Ikthya'de returned, Than'ja stopped him from going into the storeroom with the large fur pelt he'd requested to keep her warm against the icy gel. His brother eyed him suspiciously as Than'ja hesitated briefly, " _Mei'hswei_ , I do not like this." he said quietly.

"That much is obvious," Ikthya'de replied, "She has never received injury like this before. This is natural."

Than'ja shook his head slowly, " _H'ko_ ," he muttered, "Ikthya'de, her scans are ominous to me. You and I have fought _oomans_ , before. Their bodies do not break nearly as easily as Luar'ka's appears to."

"What are you saying, _Mei'hswei_?"

He pulled up the scan on the computer screen aside the table, zooming in on the images of Luar'ka's damaged bones, as well as the undamaged bones from earlier scans. He tapped the screen, outlining further the insides and knowing that even his brother, whose specialty lay in the forge and not in medicine, would be able to see the problem. Ikthya'de's eyes darkened, his mandibles loosening from around his face, "...Her bones are hollow..." he said softly. The image turned horizontally, revealing the central core of the bone where layers of marrow should have been, but were not present.

"Now," Than'ja continued, "The bones in her arms, they do contain marrow. Her bones appear to be rather thick, more so than we had expected, possibly to strengthen them to allow for stress. However, the rest of her skeletal system is nearly completely hollow. She possesses pneumatic air sacs, which transfer the air she breathes straight through to the bones, which ordinarily would receive oxygen produced by the blood cells created in the marrow."

"With hollow bones, her body is lighter." Ikthya'de ventured. Than'ja nodded, "Yes. Her body is designed to be lightweight for flight. Assuming she ever learns how to get off the ground." he said with a furtive glance toward the storeroom in case she was listening in. He faced his brother again, "She is not designed for combat, _Mei'hswei_." he said quietly, "Our _ooman_ apprentices would fare better."

Ikthya'de's eyes darkened and he looked away for a moment. His fist clenched, the other grasping the pelt draped over his shoulder. He sighed, his mandibles flaring for a moment, "We cannot give up on her, Than'ja," he whispered, "You know what will happen."

" _Mei'hswei_ , I am aware you are very fond of the female, but if she remains with us, she will die one day soon. It could be from something as simple as falling from the landing in the main hall."

"Better to die with us, whom she knows, than to meet _Cetanu_ at the hands of a hunter on our game worlds."

Than'ja eyed him with a touch of irritation, but kept silent. Ikthya'de glanced briefly at the storeroom, "You, Kar'kha, and I are all that stands between her and the game worlds. If the Elders learn of her weak structure, they will send her there without a second thought. She will die the dishonorable death of a reject, unable to defend herself or survive. She has grown to embrace our ways, _Mei'hswei_. It is different now than when she first arrived."

"How so?"

"She upholds a sense of honor now, Than'ja. She fights daily for this honor in the _kehrite_. If we gave up on her now, we would deny her honor and all it has come to represent for her. Under the guidance of the _Paya_ , we cannot do that to her."

Than'ja's shoulders sagged as he sighed heavily, "Until she is given permission to return to us, we cannot help her. She will continue to fight in the _kehrite_ and continue to receive injury."

"Do what you can to expedite their decision." Ikthya'de said firmly, "In the meantime, I have an idea. I shall speak with her for a while."

He moved off toward the storeroom. Than'ja turned his head, following him, "She may sleep for some time, _Mei'hswei_. Her injuries are taxing."

"Then I shall wait. Until later, Than'ja." Ikthya'de said with a teasing clack of his tusks. Than'ja rolled his eyes and returned to work. Even though he tried to focus on the screen in front of him, his mind wandered. He knew his brother was right; there was a difference between Luar'ka's weakness and the general weakness of ill-fated youngsters. Oftentimes, weak young Yautja were allowed to die, weeded out of the stronger bloodlines due to their apathy toward training, the rules, or discipline. Essential traits were ingrained in them almost from the moment of birth. If they failed to exhibit these traits, they were abandoned to their fates, one way or another.

Luar'ka wasn't like them. She was strong and capable and had been proving this every day for the last season. She was capable of doing battle with her peers in the group of Unbloods she'd been staying with, not to mention defeating them rather handily. Her speed was not to be taken lightly. She was by no means a weakling in spirit. Her disadvantage lay in her own body, which just wasn't built to take the strenuous, chaotic lifestyle the Yautja lived. Every day he spent with her, Than'ja could see that her spirit more and more resembled theirs. She was determined, ambitious, passionate; all things that made up the basics of the honorable Yautja spirit. If only she could just rectify this with her weak body.

Than'ja sighed. Ikthya'de was right. He couldn't tell the Elders about this. He'd have a talk with R'zha later. Hopefully, with any luck, Luar'ka could continue to grow a little while longer.

/ooo/

Ikthya'de stepped inside the darkened storeroom, his sensitive eyes easily picking up Luar'ka's trembling form in the corner. He could hear her teeth chattering from this distance as the gel did its job, healing her injured bones, but freezing her insides in the process. The method wasn't pleasant; he'd had it done on himself multiple times. He approached her carefully, kneeling down beside her. He reached around and grabbed the pelt he'd brought in at Than'ja's request. He dragged it up over her tiny body, wrapping it tightly around her to keep her warm. The gel coating her bones was only going to get colder before it was through. This was absolutely necessary and given her small size, she might even need another pelt or two before the process was finished. He sat beside her, banking on what little medical knowledge he possessed by firmly rubbing his hand back and forth across her shoulders and sides, encouraging circulation which would help warm her.

He chuffed in amusement at what Than'ja would say if he saw this display. He already knew that he was odd for his fondness of the Avian. But he'd known he was odd for most of his life. He had no interest in fighting or hunting, despite his great skill in both. He'd always found great comfort in using his hands to create things. All Yautja were encouraged to make their own weapons for _chiva_ , but he'd had an advantage above his peers by teaching himself to construct crude spears and knives from junk material at an early age. His first knife had been composed of a piece of a broken glaive, a jagged piece of metal, and strands of his own looser tendrils at the time. Sure, pulling them out had hurt like he couldn't believe, but the final result had been worth it and he'd treasured that little trophy. It had long since been destroyed, but the memories lingered.

Being an odd one had its disadvantages of course, but Ikthya'de had known little else his whole life so he didn't mind as much. Perhaps that was why he felt so obligated to look after the little female. He couldn't really understand the meaning much deeper than that, but as he watched her sleep fitfully, recovering from her injuries, he found he didn't particularly mind this either.

After a long time, her shivering slowed down as the chill began to wear off. Soon, she began to stir, perhaps awakened by his movement or else from the warmth of the fur surrounding her body. Her eyes swiveled aimlessly for a moment before she focused on him and relaxed, "Oh..." she muttered, comforted when she saw it was him.

" _G'kaun-yte_." he greeted, his upper mandibles spreading apart in a grin.

"Ikthya'de," she murmured, "What are you doing in here?"

"Than'ja instructed me to bring you this fur. You are going to be quite cold for a while until your bones knit."

Luar'ka struggled to try to sit up, but a sharp warning growl from Ikthya'de quickly changed her mind and she lay back down, shifting onto her back. She fidgeted a moment as she worked her wings into a more comfortable position before settling, "How long must I wait to train again?"

"Seven to eight rotations would be my guess." he said.

Luar'ka sighed, eyes shifting to the ceiling, "Not surprising."

"What happened?"

She shook her head, not looking at him, "It was an accident. I knocked Thei'dah off balance and he fell on me." she explained simply.

"He is quite a substantial opponent for you." Ikthya'de remarked in surprise. Thei'dah was technically a cousin of his, so he was well-acquainted with the younger Unblood.

"He is tolerant of me. We work well together." Luar'ka explained.

"Given Thei'dah's parentage, I am surprised to hear this." Ikthya'de said.

"What do you mean?"

"Thei'dah is the offspring of my bearer's sister and sired by Thwei'ja."

Luar'ka blinked, "You are correct. I am surprised as well." she muttered, turning her head away silently.

They fell silent, Luar'ka having pulled her tail up onto her chest and stroking the feathers absently. Ikthya'de watched her do this, his mandibles moving every now and again. As he studied her, he noted with surprise that she was fidgeting her jaw and he could hear her teeth lightly click together every few seconds. He held back a laugh of amusement; despite the clear lack of mandibles, she was even copying their tendency to fidget them when deep in thought. Clearly, the taking of such a young apprentice was having some interesting results beyond what they usually saw from older human students.

"Than'ja told me you have been troubled." he lied. Her eyes flitted to him, narrowed and skeptical, "When did he tell you this?" she asked.

"A while before," he answered vaguely, "What troubles you, _Gyun'r Mei'jadhi_?" he asked.

Luar'ka smiled at the nickname and sighed, her face once again returning to the gloomy look she'd had before, "I am not so sure how to explain it. I do not believe you would understand."

"Try me."

She hesitated, sorting through her thoughts as she worked out a way to tell him what was bothering her. She sat up slowly, hissing through her clenched teeth. He didn't growl this time, allowing her to do as she pleased up to a point. She sighed once she'd working into a comfortable position, "Ikthya'de, when did you decide you wished to become a metalworker?"

Confused at such an odd question compared to his own inquiry, he blinked a few times, loosening his mandibles from around his face, "I believe I have always known," he replied, "It seems to be in my blood, a calling far stronger than that of the hunt."

"Did you face challenges?"

His eyes narrowed, his tusks snapping sharply, "Plenty." he growled, "Me'vi-te was openly against it. Our bearer called us foolish. I found a mentor within the metalworkers. He was brutal with my training, but he saw I had made the correct decision. Than'ja faced similar struggles. We have overcome, proven what needed to be proven. I had to demonstrate that I could hunt, fight, and survive as any and all Yautja should, and are expected to. This was the only way to obtain what I wished for. Under my own determination and the blessings of the _Paya_ , I have achieved my goal. I am now accepted as a metalworker and no longer under pressure to the extent I was before."

Her pale face looked out toward him from beneath the layers of feathers hanging over and around it. He watched in fascination as they shuddered and flexed along her head, flaring up and out briefly before settling back down against her head.

"What troubles you, Luar'ka?" he asked softly.

"If I pleased the _Paya_ enough, would they grant _my_ wish?" she asked.

"I believe so, assuming it rests within their power to do so." he answered her, "What is your wish?"

She smiled bitterly, "Well, they could never grant what I _truly_ want." she said, chuckling.

"And what is that?" he asked, his tusks ticking together in amusement.

"...I...want to be Yautja, truly. But...but I know I never can be." she mumbled, looking away from him as though ashamed of her admission, "I am Avian. I am what I am; I cannot change it. And for all I know, I am the last of my kind."

Ikthya'de rumbled softly deep inside his chest, "You are right, Luar'ka; the _Paya_ cannot grant that wish. But you are wise to have already accepted this outcome and embraced it. So in place of that wish, what do you desire in its stead?"

She faced him with a hard look, her eyes filled with a fire born from fear and hesitation and a determination not to let it take over; "I want to continue to survive. I want to keep fighting. When I met him, Kar'kha said something to me. I did not understand it at the time, but I could see it was important. I understand it, now."

"And what was that?"

" _T_ _hin-de le'hsaun 'aloun'myin-de s' bpi-de gka-de hou-depaya._ " she said confidently, "'Learn the gift of all sights, or finish the dance of the fallen gods'. I understand it, now. If I cannot continue to improve, I will follow the fallen gods. I am not ready to go, yet. But..." she trailed off, her fire cooling momentarily. She gazed down at her hands folded in the fur in her lap, "I know I need to continue to fight...I just do not know how. I can never match up to you and the others, Ikthya'de. I am just...not strong enough."

This was it; the trouble that had been polluting her mind to the point where her concentration in the _kehrite_ had been lost. Unbeknownst to her, Ikthya'de was well aware of her limitations thanks to Than'ja. And now, it was time to implement his idea regarding the female Avian. He chuffed, gaining her attention as he fixed her with a stern stare.

"You are correct," he said firmly, "You will never match the Yautja in strength and durability. It is not physically possible for you to do so."

She blinked once, her face seemingly shifting from several different emotions running through her mind before settling on a blank expression. She nodded her understanding. He continued, "You spend far too much time focusing on how to match us, knowing you can never do so. Why?"

"Huh?"

She wasn't comprehending him. He sighed, straightening up and closing his eyes. He decided to try another tactic. He leaned forward again, his face mere inches from hers, "Why do we hunt the _kiande amedha_?" he asked.

Luar'ka's expression softened. She was now in familiar territory and answered him with confidence, "They are special to the Yautja; prey that cannot be matched anywhere else in the known universe."

"And why is that?"

"They are fast, aggressive, and powerful; worthy prey."

"And?" he pressed. She scrunched her eyes shut as she tended to do when she wracked her brain for an answer. She exhaled sharply, her eyes snapping open, "They are the Fingers of the _Paya_ ," she said, "They point out the weak and unworthy individuals and separate them from the truly strong and deserving of honor."

Ikthya'de nodded, pleased with her response. She'd learned a lot more than he'd ever expected.

"Now," he said, "There is one very good reason why the _kiande amedha_ sometimes outwit Yautja warriors. A trait they possess, which even the Yautja do not. A Yautja facing off against the _kiande amedha_ must always remain aware of his disadvantage in this regard. Tell it to me."

Luar'ka's face darkened as her memories of her first encounter with the terrifying beasts emerged in her mind; seeing it drag that hunter off into the trees, how it stalked her across the countryside and chased her into that thorn bush. How it tore a chunk of flesh out of her ankle, the scar still quite visible even now, and how it attacked her in that dried up riverbed, forcing her to plunge the knife into its throat in defense. But finally, the memory that trumped them all; of facing off against it on that clifftop, how it lunged toward her and she dodged its attack, struggling to gain an edge with her immature skills and claws. She ground her teeth, baring her fangs, "The _kiande amedha_ are fast, stealthy, and nearly invisible in the dark. They give off no heat. They are ruthlessly silent in their pursuit, hiding in the shadows until the last possible second. They leap onto their prey then with all of their aggression and fury."

Ikthya'de studied her a moment, inwardly teasing her by refusing to react. Finally, when he saw she wasn't going to start squirming, that she was confidant in her reply, he chuffed in approval and sat back, flaring his mandibles in a wide grin, "And that," he said, "is the key to _your_ success, _Mei'jadhi_." he said.

She looked at him in amazement, her eyes narrowed as she processed what he meant. He watched expectantly as they widened in understanding when it dawned on her, "My...speed." she said, raising her head.

"Yes," he agreed, "The Yautja are fast, but they do not compare to the _kiande amedha_. And you are quickly becoming faster than they are. Cease trying to become Yautja in body, but remain one in spirit, _Mei'jadhi_. Use your own gifts to rise above the others."

It was true. She'd been so wrapped up in R'zha's literal teachings during training that she'd forgotten her own natural talents. Her speed and agility, while useful in sparring, had never been the foremost thing on her mind. She'd always looked at the other students developing incredible strength and power and felt a twinge of bitterness and envy at their progress. Her own strength never seemed to develop past what she already had, making her feel vastly inferior to them, despite her winnings.

"I cannot believe I had forgotten...my speed saved my life so many times when I was still on _N'-ithya._ How could it have left me?"

"It has not left you; you have let it fall out of practice." Ikthya'de said, tilting his head at her. He reached out and smoothed the feathers on her head and she looked up at him in puzzlement. For a brief second, she was reminded of Rail playing with her down like he used to do. She siphoned that thought back into the recesses of her mind, studying Ikthya'de's face. She nodded her understanding.

"You must rest while your bones heal," Ikthya'de reminded her firmly, pulling his hand away, "However, when they have been mended, you will return to the _kehrite_. Hopefully, you will follow my advice."

Luar'ka frowned, adjusting her wings against her back, "I will." she told him, "And this time, I will _not_ forget."

Ikthya'de pushed her back down suddenly, making her wince from her injuries. He stood up, towering over her as he looked down at her, "Rest, now. You have much to prepare for."

He turned and headed for the door. Luar'ka bundled deep into the thick, warm fur he'd brought her. Before she settled, she raised her head, "Ikthya'de!" she called. He paused before departing, glancing back at her. She tugged at the fur, "I wish to keep this."

She heard his rustling chuckle from deep within his chest, "It is yours." he told her.

Pleased at her new acquisition, she burrowed deep beneath it, trilling a few delighted squeals of her own. Ikthya'de stepped out and shut the door, chuckling at how ridiculously easy it was to make her happy. She was the first female he didn't have to be on edge around and the thought was oddly refreshing.

Than'ja was sitting at the table in the center of the room, a stack of preserved documents heaped in the middle of it. The room was dark but for a couple of lights filtering down from the ceiling like in the main hall. He had a couple of stone vessels sitting on the table in front of him. Ikthya'de caught the tantalizing scent of _c'nlip_ emanating from them.

"This is a surprise." he said, "I would assume one of these is for me."

"That depends." Than'ja said, taking one vessel for himself, "Were you able to calm her, _Mei'hswei_?"

"I believe so, yes. At the very least, I have nullified her anxieties."

Than'ja sighed heavily. They were treading into taboo territory by acknowledging the Avian's worries of her battle performance. This was something a Yautja was wise to keep to himself much of the time. Fortunately, Than'ja and Ikthya'de had never had to deal with this concern for the most part. The reason being quite simple; their status as twins had allowed them to stay as close as they'd been as younglings. Concerns and anxieties one or the other had were confided to each other and no one else, not even Kar'kha, though he was welcome to confide in them if he so chose. This was a privilege not many Yautja enjoyed once they grew into adulthood. The purpose was to ensure that no Yautja developed weakness of any sort. Their personal purpose was to prevent unrest from developing among their comrades. It was enough for them.

Ikthya'de sat down across from his brother and grabbed the other vessel, taking a deep drink of it. He sighed and tossed his head, "It _has_ been a while." he exclaimed, "Does it taste stronger to you?"

"Not in particular."

"I must have been with Luar'ka for a while if you had time to fetch these during that period." Ikthya'de remarked, folding his arms on the table.

"She appears to take ease around you. I had assumed you would take far longer."

"Long enough, I suppose," Ikthya'de grumbled, swirling the liquid around inside the vessel, "The heat is gone."

"It is still good cold." Than'ja argued lightly.

"True, but the warmth is part of the addictive nature." his brother countered. Than'ja nodded a couple of times, his head slightly inclined. He had to agree with him on that one.

"I must admit, you never fail to surprise me, _Mei'hswei_." Than'ja murmured.

"What?"

"Me'vi-te never took you as seriously as he did myself or Ka'si'r when he was alive. He always seemed under the impression that you saw life as a game and little more. He did not expect you to survive this long."

At the mention of their deceased older brother, Ikthya'de's eyes darkened. Any of their siblings prior to Ka'si'r had all been dead for a long while once the two of them came aboard the ship. Given the sheer loss of descendants Me'vi-te had suffered by then, he'd begun entrusting the training of his progeny to himself and himself alone. He remembered how hard he had fought to win their sire's approval, as well as what had _really_ happened to the junk knife he'd constructed.

"Me'vi-te wished for us to become strong, to survive. He wished for _Cetanu_ to overlook us a while longer," Than'ja said, taking a drink from his vessel, "His wish was granted. We are capable hunters and warriors and with our _chiva_ behind us, we are useful members of the clan. We have survived all the clan has thrown at us. And we will continue to survive until the _Paya_ call for us honorably."

"You have been thinking of what I said regarding Luar'ka." Ikthya'de said quietly.

"I have. You are correct; she is honor bound now, as we are. To reveal her nature and strip her of that honor is tasteless. I will not breathe a word on the matter. I only pray that whatever you said to her takes effect, and soon. We can only hide it for so long, _Mei'hswei_."

Ikthya'de knew his brother was right, as usual. Than'ja had always been the more level-headed of the two of them. During their _chiva_ , they had refused to follow their brash comrade sent on the test with them, as he continued to act rashly and dangerously in his desperation to pass. Ikthya'de and Than'ja had stuck together the whole way, annoying each other to death, but refusing to leave one another. They had encountered ambush after ambush, trap after trap, but they had pulled through. Ikthya'de knew he couldn't have done it if Than'ja hadn't been there to talk him back to his senses several times. And Than'ja had relied on his brother's sharp eyes and quick reflexes more than once, fending off two potentially fatal strikes of the _kiande amedha's_ deadly tail. Predictably, their comrade was ambushed by several _kiande amedha_ , and his death had not been a quick one. Even despite all the conditioning, the Yautja still felt pain and still had limits to how much pain they could handle at any given time. Ikthya'de was still somewhat haunted by what he'd heard that day. The ways in which they dealt with the crucial challenges of their youth were typically frowned upon by their elders. Young Yautja were expected to take care of themselves from a young age. The two of them had kept it on the low whenever they could about working together on casual hunts.

He shook his head, sighing heavily and took a few more deep drinks, chuckling in defeat as it began to take effect on his mind, "And here we had agreed that I would not give in first." he joked.

"We agreed to no such thing." Than'ja grumbled, wisely pacing himself, "As long as you do not throw any punches, we will not have an issue."

"Keep that attitude up and we will see." Ikthya'de quipped, flaring his mandibles out. Than'ja chuckled and sighed, "I may have made an error with this judgment." he mumbled to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, _Mei'hswei_."

 **A/N:** Okay, so apologies are needed. I was having problems with my computer. For the longest time, I couldn't highlight anything so I couldn't separate the chapter that needed to be published from the rest of the book. Then, my computer magically mixed itself while I was 35,000 feet in the air, so figure THAT one out. Anyway, here's the latest update and I'm currently 317 pages in. I'm very close to finishing. I hope you enjoyed and I hope you leave feedback. See you sooner than later, my lovelies.

~Luna


	16. Sixteen

Sixteen

Than'ja was able to get Ikthya'de to tell him what he'd said to Luar'ka to not only calm her down, but also drastically improve her mood. The other healers in the ward had begun to grow a little edgy for a few days when she started acting a little too similarly to the irritable females they were all used to. However, after her talk with Ikthya'de, she changed completely. Mostly for the better.

Just one problem.

Than'ja sighed heavily over his work while he sealed up a deep laceration on another Yautja as a loud bellow erupted from the storeroom. The Yautja he was working on jumped in alarm and Than'ja just shook his head, indicating it wasn't a problem. One of the healers burst out of the storeroom snarling, his mandibles flared widely in aggravation as he stormed off. Than'ja caught a brief glimpse of a tiny shadow flitting about within, followed by a brief trill of amusement.

"I suppose the time has come to secede to her demands." he said drily, ignoring the confused stare from his patient.

Once he was finished and his patient had departed, Than'ja entered the storeroom and found Luar'ka perched on her haunches on the table with her head bowed forward. He was loathe to admit how she eerily resembled the _kiande amedha_ sitting like that, and her tail swishing back and forth did _not_ help that mental image.

"Luar'ka," he grumbled, "I believe we need to talk."

She raised her head and he saw that she had her dark second eyelid down, rendering her eyes as empty, soulless sockets. As he watched, these lids raised and she blinked at him, " _G'kaun-yte_ , Than'ja." she greeted, giving him a mischievous, toothy grin.

"I believe you know what I am here to tell you." he said sternly, eying her seriously. Her feathers sagged and her wings and tail drooped, "Yes...stop tormenting the healers who come in here, right?"

"Yes. However, I also think you should be aware that your recovery time has about ended. You are free to return to training on the next rotation."

The feathers atop her head flared out in all directions, her head raising as she stared at him in disbelief, "Truly? I can resume?" she breathed in amazement.

" _Sei-i_ ," he said hesitantly, "However, you must keep this in mind, Luar'ka; I can only protect you for so long. I am only able to lie for you for so long. If you sustain serious injury, there will be nothing left for you but the mercy of the _Paya_. Do you understand?"

Her feathers drooped, her eyes widening, "You have been...lying for me?" she whispered, "No...Than'ja, _no!_ If the Elders find out you have been lying to protect me, they will punish _you_!" she cried, jumping down from the table and hurrying over to him. He stopped her, clacking his tusks together loudly, "Take ease, _Luar-ke Lar'ja_ ," he said, "They have no need to discover the lies just yet. The secret's durability relies on your abilities. On your own power to defend yourself. Do you understand?"

"No, I do not," she said softy, "I do not understand why you have lied to protect me. Lied about what? What did I do wrong?"

Than'ja reached out and gently grasped her arm, raising it up. He ran his finger firmly along the bone within her skin. She watched him warily as he did this, her forehead crinkling in confusion. He sighed heavily, "You are fast, Luar'ka; far faster than any Yautja. There is a reason for this. You are built for flight, for speed, for agility. You are not built like we are. You do not have the reinforcement that we do. The skies are your domain, young Avian. And you have chosen to pledge your existence to a life of grounded violence and the hunt, forsaking the skies that are your inheritance."

"It was _my_ choice." she spat, her eyes narrowing, "I will never get off the ground. Fighting is all I have left to me."

"You know nothing for certain, young one." Than'ja said sternly, "Keep this in mind. Until you have seen it, you have not experienced it."

He gave her a firm shove toward the door, "Training will begin soon. Off with you."

Luar'ka left the medical bay, her heart hammering in latent, controlled fear. All of her conditioning, her training, her preparations and the meditations she'd learned to wield as effectively as a weapon within her honed mind, all of it bubbled to the surface as she struggled to contain herself. Her hands clenched at her sides, her claws digging into her skin. She started forward, hurrying toward the _kehrite_. Nighttime hours aboard the ship would soon end. The Yautja would awaken. She had very little time allowed to her.

She entered the pitch black room, opening her eyes wide as she allowed her night vision to take over. It was still weak, but she could make out the entirety of the room. She spread her wings, beating them slowly back and forth several times, taking deep breaths as she did. She felt her wings tingling uncomfortably as circulation was forced through them, the blood warming them, easing their movements. She flexed them in and out experimentally, glancing back at them and studying how they moved behind her. She turned, eying the wall. She approached it and began the familiar sequence of ascending it, digging her claws into the wall and scaling the sloped surface until she got about three-quarters of the way up, tilting her head backwards to peer across the room behind her. Her wings hung limply behind her, rather than folded taut against her back like they normally would have been. Her heart thudded in her chest, her blood roared in her ears and she hugged the wall, her eyes squeezing shut as she struggled to suppress her fear. In the past, she'd have received advice from either R'zha or one of her mentors on the correct course of action.

Everything she did, she did with the purest of guidance to walk the path set for her in preparation of the hunt. The Yautjas' world was her world, their ways were her ways, and their beliefs, hers as well. Everything she learned, she hoped to one day make use of in her first true hunt, to stalk, attack, and kill her first true prey, claim her first real trophy. It was all she lived for now, so close she could practically taste it. However, over the past several rotations, all that invaded her mind were thoughts of how she could never be Yautja in the true sense. The _Paya_ had looked after her up until this point, but they could never grant her true wish. She was _not_ out of options; she had paths to take, roads to experiment with. She had advantages the Yautja did not.

She ground her teeth together, coiling her legs against the wall beneath her and pushing off, twisting her body in the air as she opened her wings for the first time in her life. She plummeted out of the air, crashing against the ground hard on her chest. She gasped sharply at the pain, her heart thudding in fear. However, the pain quickly faded and she realized to her relief that nothing was broken. Gritting her teeth together, she turned to the wall behind her, opposite of the one she'd started out on. Digging her claws in, her ascended again, this time opting not to try gliding and instead, slowly working her way sideways along the wall. Alternating her movements, she kept one limb attached to the wall at all times, her body aching very quickly from the strain of holding herself upright as she tested her strength. She climbed higher and higher, quickly reaching the ceiling. Pushing back her trepidation, she continued to move steadily along until she hung upside down, her arms and legs burning from the strain. She held on, sweat beading and creeping along her face, dripping down to the floor some twenty feet below. Finally, she reached her breaking point and let go, dropping straight down. She twisted in the air, her legs absorbing the impact as she landed almost soundlessly, crouching as her muscles relaxed from the abrupt landing. As she folded her wings down, her eyes narrowed, glancing around distastefully at the room, realizing now how cramped it truly was. She let out a hissing sigh, straightening up and flexing her claws in and out.

"I need trees."

/ooo/

It was interesting to consider how fast time seemed to fly the older one became. While a young, hotblooded youngster, eagerly awaiting the danger and intrigue of the _chiva_ , time crept by slowly, teasingly, taunting every step of the way _just a little closer, almost there. A little bit further, but not there yet_. This trepidation, this restless waiting only served to fuel the blood for the hunt. The Unbloods thrived on it. Elder Sechinde knew this, understood it well. He recalled his own restless blood during his time spent as an eager Unblood.

 _He'd been the only survivor of the trio of youngsters sent down to N'-ithya hundreds of years ago. His chiva had been brutal, more so than normal. He had not only fought the kiande amedha offspring, but also their Matriarch, Cetanu herself. Standing amidst the lifeless bodies of his brethren, he stood alone, staring down the mighty bearer of the hard meat prey he'd already killed so many of. He had looked her in the face, admired her for her beauty and absolute merciless horror, and then, with the Paya favoring him in the brutal following battle, he slew her. He claimed her crown as his trophy. However, his resulting wounds were so great that he had blacked out after the fight. He had almost been considered lost by the clan. A stroke of luck and the Paya being unready for him had saved him. Something had found him lying there in a puddle of his own blood, his body too weak to move but for his eyes, watching the creature's approach. He'd had just enough strength to unleash a snarl of rage before his body gave out and he lost consciousness again. He passed in and out of waking and sleeping, his thoughts jumbled, his mind in disarray. He couldn't summon enough strength to reach to his wrist gauntlet and activate the bomb that would honorably erase his existence. He was dimly aware of being dragged somewhere, away from his discarded weapons, his broken armor, and the trophies he'd worked so hard to claim. He could see nothing but the blackness surrounding his eyes, could feel the blood still seeping from the wounds in his chest. His body was fighting to recover and he wanted to allow it to, but his spirit writhed in fury at the thought of capture. He growled again and the movement stopped. He heard voices. A language he did not recognize. This surprised him. He was very familiar with N'-ithyan languages; how could there be one he did not know?_

 _His eyes were open, but they were blind. Had they received injury? No...no, sight was returning. Something very warm was placed over his eyes. He couldn't see beyond whatever it was. He felt something brush his arm, something soft. He heard a faint rustling sound, unlike any other sound he'd heard. He felt something touch the wound on his chest and he snarled again, the sound choking in his throat as whoever was touching him pressed a searing something into the wound, causing his snarl to morph into a trill of agony. His mandibles flared in indescribable pain, his conditioning momentarily pushed to the side as the pain overwhelmed his senses. His body convulsed, his breath came in sharp gasps. He felt something trying in vain to hold him down. More of the unknown language. This time, he felt something warm flow over the wound on his chest and to his surprise, the pain began to fade. Tiny pinpricks now dotted across his thick hide over his chest, small, almost miniscule little pains that came every couple of seconds. He still couldn't see, even though his eyes were open. He wanted to move. He wanted to see who or what had captured him. He wanted to make them pay for this humiliation. But his body wouldn't obey him past small, useless movements that failed to help him whatsoever._

 _He chuffed in alarm when he felt something brush through his thick tendrils and across his crest and forehead. Much to his chagrin and utter horror, his body began to relax under the gentle movement to his sensitive tresses. He snarled again, though there was no real backing thought accompanying it. He continued to huff beneath his breath, his body tense despite trying to relax against his will as the soft caresses through his tendrils continued. He knew now that he'd been found by multiple beings of some kind, as there was still another working on his wounds before him, while the singular one was somewhere behind him, apparently trying to ease him._

 _Part of him reasoned that they might be trying to heal him, as they certainly hadn't ended him yet. But another part of him argued that he had no idea what sort of creatures had discovered him, nor what they might actually being doing to him. He could very well have already been marked by the_ Paya _, as these creatures could have infiltrated his body with any number of dangerous articles._

 _He still couldn't see, was still lying somewhere on the ground in the hands of the_ Paya _knew what, and thus far, he hadn't received any further harm. Besides, he still had no strength to move. The wise option now would be to settle and bide his energy for his escape. He knew his comrades would come to find him if they didn't detect an explosion from his gauntlet. He had to find them himself before they did, otherwise they'd end him right then and there. He had survived, he'd just gotten unwillingly sidetracked and needed to get out of there as soon as possible._

 _Suddenly, he felt a rush of air around him and a strange sound slowly moving away from him. He felt it as something reached across his head. His mandibles twitched as whatever it was grasped something on his face and yanked it away suddenly. Light flooded his eyes and he realized he could see again. He bellowed angrily at the discomfort of light penetrating his sensitive eyes, rolling to his side to avoid it as he grumbled under his breath. He braced an arm beneath his body, slowly hefting himself into a sitting position. Flaring his tusks in irritation, he let out a rattling sigh, shaking his head and looking around. He was in what appeared to be a stone grotto of some kind, the walls and ceiling dripping with precipitation. It had rained recently. The floor was covered in soft soil and littered with rocks and leaves. Dull, grayish light filtered into the grotto, illuminating a steep stack of rocks from a landslide years before off to his right, extending a hundred feet to the ceiling of the grotto. He twisted his body slowly, shifting to a kneeling position. He clicked a few times in exhaustion, his body aching like mad. Nothing to compare to the pain of before, of course. He raised his eyes curiously, reminded suddenly. He appeared to be alone in the grotto. He could neither smell, nor hear any sign of other life forms._

Clank!

 _He whirled, his mandibles spread as he eyed the new object on the ground where it had landed, the dust beneath it settling slowly. His eyes widened as he recognized his bio-mask. He reached out, grasping it carefully and pulling it closer, examining it for damage. It seemed to be fine._

 _His spines bristled at the sound of low grumbling close by. He raised his head to the entrance of the grotto, spotting the clear rivets in the dirt where he'd been dragged in. He saw something standing there at the entrance a few meters away. It was swathed in shadows and covered in mud from head to toe, obviously done on purpose for some reason. It stood hunched over and he caught the distinct scent of blood wafting off of it. As he watched, it stepped a few feet into the grotto and lowered its head, snapping upright suddenly. Something flew from its jaws and landed in a shapeless heap on the ground before him. He eyed it curiously, returning his gaze to the newcomer. Shining eyes met his in the darkness, the creature holding perfectly still. Gradually, it turned, tail lashing slowly as it meandered out of the grotto and into the dense forest beyond. He watched it go and then glanced down at the offering it had left. It was a furry mammal of some kind, a N'-ithyan species he'd seen before. He recognized the bizarre long ears and legs it possessed. Its blood flowed along the floor._

 _While suspicious of the behavior of these creatures, whatever they were, he was not too proud to refuse an offering of a kill from another hunter. He wasn't sure how it was for these new creatures, but for his people, to give one's hard earned sustenance kill to another was a sign of deep respect. He reached out, grasping the warm hide of the creature and tearing open its belly, spilling the warm lifeblood across the soil. He wasted nothing, even consuming the bones of the animal. He held onto the pelt. If given the opportunity, he would clean it later._

 _He tried to stand, then. However, an intense shot of pain piercing through his leg changed his mind quickly. He replaced his mask to his face and looked down at his leg, switching through the various viewpoints. His mask had a basic examination laser used for identifying internal injuries while out on the hunt. He activated this sensor, scanning his leg carefully. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised it was broken; the Matriarch's tail was as strong as it was deadly. His leg, much like the rest of his body, was comprised of layers of knitted muscle, fat, and reinforced bone that acted almost like living armor itself. He'd always known a female would give him his first broken limb, he'd just never expected it would be the Matriarch of the_ kiande amedha _. His body was too heavy for his broken leg to support right away. Like it or not, he was stuck for the time being. He would need to keep his guard up. Without his weapons, he—_

Clank! ka-Clunk!

 _He whirled, snarling viciously at the newcomer as they stood before him a few feet away, a small pile of his weapons and armor lying discarded at its feet. He could hardly believe it; he'd never even heard them approach! There were two of them this time, both smothered in thick mud, obscuring their features. One of them cowered at his viciousness, hiding behind the other one who stood motionless. What little scent he was able to catch told him that these creatures were female. The first one straightened up, her eyes fierce beneath the drying mud as she tossed another of his weapons toward him carelessly. They said nothing. He watched as they turned, apparently unaffected by his show of aggression, and slowly moved out of the grotto, back into the trees. He blinked in amazement, hardly daring to believe this sort of creature he'd stumbled across that was even stealthier than the Yautja. He eyed his weapons they'd left behind. His instincts screaming mistrust at him. His eyes narrowed, his claws flexing._

 _Well, at least now he could defend himself._

Elder Sechinde sighed heavily, opening his eyes as he roused himself from rest. It was curious, this strange side effect he'd received from aging. His body was no weaker than it had ever been, nor any stronger. He was still as formidable as the day he'd returned to the _Sev'kai_ an honored, Blooded warrior. However, as he advanced in age, he found that he steadily ceased dreaming. He no longer saw images of the past or the present during rest. Therefore, he used the time he gave himself to recuperate to relive experiences of his past, lest they come to him during _mesh'in'ga_. This recent memory had a very simple explanation. As he sat up from his sleeping mat and sighed, he realized that it was nearing the time when the young Avian would be evaluated. Had a full season passed already? Sometimes the passage of time was enough to even baffle _him_.

He dressed himself in his ceremonial armor, his prized bone necklaces and chains adorning his neck and waist and a choice of three hard-earned human skulls across his shoulders and chest. The beads and trinkets strewn thickly throughout his tendrils were fused there, immobile, as permanent symbols of his rank. His ceremonial armor wasn't used for battle; it was too delicate. Consisting of bronze chest and shoulder plates engraved with hundreds of markings along the edges and fault lines, complete with a fine red cloth cloak trailing behind him from the plates adorning his back, it symbolized the truest height of his lengthy honor and rank within his clan. It had been presented to him when he'd achieved status as an Elder of the _Sev'kai_ , a coveted title few Yautja lived to achieve. Only the strongest, most intelligent, and honorable Yautja made it this far. Sechinde was proud to have been one such Yautja. He passed his trophy room, pausing to glance inside of it. It was a spacious circular room, like all the other spaces on the ship. It was filled with the hundreds of impressive skulls Sechinde had acquired over his many centuries hunting. They had served to improve his standing over the centuries, as well as impressing the many strong and worthy females he'd bred in his lifetime. At his rank, he often had first pick during the breeding season since females were unlikely to refuse him. The larger the collection, the higher a Yautja's rank increased. He moved inside, just for a moment as he eyed his particular favorites; a massive sea beast, the skull longer than he was tall. Its teeth were like daggers. His method of killing it had been risky, but highly effective. He'd allowed the monster to swallow him whole, granting him access to the soft innards. He'd had only minutes, empowered only with the air he'd taken down with him in his lungs. He'd slashed his way out of the stomach of the beast and into the inner body cavities, piercing through the lungs and heart of the creature. Just as it began to go into its death throes, he'd worked his way back up into the esophagus, using his blades and claws to slash through the neck of the animal, severing its spinal cord and slicing easily through the thick flesh and muscles of the short neck, tearing himself free through the massive gash he'd created. He'd been able to see light filtering down through the depths of the water and had ascended quickly, breaking the surface and replenishing his air supply with the thin atmosphere of that planet before diving again, this time to retrieve his prize. It was a struggle getting it to shore, but he'd managed to collect his trophy, the massive skull of the watery monster.

Sechinde purred in satisfaction at the memory of that fight. However, one skull in particular always caught his attention, especially nowadays. He approached the place on the wall where it was mounted, gleaming in the low light. He reached out, brushing his claw tips across the surface of the cranium, studying it quietly. It appeared to be human, but he knew better. He was one of the few Yautja on board the ship who owned such a skull and he treasured it. The one obvious separation between this skull and the hundreds of human skulls he'd collected was the teeth. They were sharp, crisscrossing between each other and growing steadily duller as they descended through the mouth. The front teeth were the sharpest, like knife blades, and Sechinde carried a scar on his shoulder that perfectly matched a bite from such a skull. He rumbled low in his chest, pulling away slowly.

"Nightingale." he rumbled. He looked back at the skull and his tusks flared slightly, hissing at the memory. He clacked his tusks together once and stalked out of the room, leaving his chambers quickly. He needed no distractions today.

After all, the Avian's fate rested on his decision.

/ooo/

S'kivn-a snarled viciously as he spun to try and block the Avian's attack. However, he missed widely as she slashed deeply against the back of his neck before bounding away from him and landing on all fours a few meters away. Her second eyelids were down and her teeth were bared, her feathers raised in defiance. Watching this display, hearing S'kivn-a's increasingly frustrated growls and snarls as he struggled to land a blow, R'zha had to admit his curiosity; _N'-ithya_ was a planet filled with creatures that were a supreme challenge intellectually, but not very physically intimidating for the most part. The majority of natural fauna living on that planet were relatively peaceful creatures. Watching Luar'ka's sudden change in behavior over the last couple of rotations, it was a bit difficult to believe that she was from _N'-ithya_ at all.

Luar'ka scurried along the floor suddenly at a breakneck pace, causing S'kivn-a to temporarily lose sight of her. He whirled, trying to keep her within his line of sight. His tusks flared as he locked on and charged forward, lashing out toward her to grab her tail just within his reach. Luar'ka shifted her upper body away from him and darted down, twisting between his legs and springing up behind him to latch onto his back. S'kivn-a roared in fury, reaching back to try to grab her. This small, diminutive and fragile opponent was quickly proving how much trouble she could be. She sank her teeth into the back of his neck, raking her claws down along his back, spilling large quantities of his blood onto the floor with every slash of her wicked talons. Her teeth were still too small to do much damage against the Yautja's thick hide, but as her adult teeth had begun to painfully make their appearances known within her mouth, she was learning just how damage she would one day be capable of.

R'zha let out a bellow suddenly, alerting the two that it was time to stop. S'kivn-a froze reluctantly, fully aware of the Avian female still perched on his back, her fangs lodged in his neck. She wrenched her head back with a yelp, clapping a hand over her mouth as yet another loose fang popped free and fluttered to the floor. She sprang off S'kivn-a's back, her hand still over her mouth to quell the sudden mild flow of blood. Her opponent stared down at her in bewilderment and anger before focusing his attention on their teacher. The other students all looked up from their various stances and positions as the door opened. A soft murmur went up when they spotted not only Elder Sechinde, but also the clan leader, Ki'vei-ta and several of her guards striding powerfully into the room. Luar'ka straightened up from her position on the floor, ignoring the flow of blood from the newly opened tooth socket where her latest milk tooth had been ripped free. She could only stare in amazement as she held her ground. Luar'ka had never seen a female Yautja before, though she'd heard her brothers talking about them from time to time. She had grown thus far to understand that she should avoid the females at all costs right now.

Unlike Elder Sechinde, who wore elegant bronze armor across his shoulders, chest, upper arms, and thighs, which appeared to be fairly typical for the oldest and most powerful males in ceremony, the Matriarch wore vastly different coverings. Her garments consisted of some type of flowing translucent cloth that didn't appear to have any sort of true seam to it, but draped across her shoulders and around her waist to flow down across her front and hips on either side, covering what appeared to be very simple leather garments beneath. She wore no visible armor and, while visibly taller than Elder Sechinde, her body wasn't as sculpted. Her tendrils were also decorated with many beautiful beads and trinkets like the males, though hers were lined with sparkling jewels as well, perhaps a sign of hierarchy. Her scales were a light, sandy color sporting dark brown spots interlaced with elegant red stripes running down the backs of her arms and sides, offset by her pure white face, chest, and belly.

Luar'ka had to remind herself not to stare in amazement as she forced her head down submissively, tucking her wings back. Than'ja had always warned her to always show submission toward the females, as they were most likely to strike her down for offensive disrespect they could glean from her innocent actions. He said this would continue until she had grown considerably, meaning she would gain the opportunity to claim her rightful place in several years. Hopefully.

Ki'vei-ta stepped forward, eying each of the Unbloods somewhat menacingly. She said nothing, muttered something to R'zha and then moved off to the side, her arms at her sides. Several of her guards, which Luar'ka saw were also female, moved to stand near her. Elder Sechinde approached R'zha and she noticed that he actually spared her a quick, albeit lingering glance as he did.

"R'zha," Sechinde greeted, "I am sure you have been expecting this; this group you have been training shows great promise. Pass or fail, it is time to bid farewell to three of them."

R'zha nodded, keeping his eyes down out of respect, "I understand. They have been preparing for this. I see the Matriarch is here, as well?"

Sechinde nodded, "She is here to evaluate them personally. She has heard great things about these Unbloods. Do not allow her to be disappointed."

Luar'ka kept her head bowed, but her ears open. She knew this was big. There was no chance of her getting chosen to go to _chiva_ , but her heart thudded at the possibility of an opportunity to fight before the eyes of the Matriarch.

R'zha faced his students, his back straight and his eyes fierce, "You know the procedure. Divide yourselves!" he bellowed.

Luar'ka was familiar with the setup. The selection for _chiva_ was the same as their usual sparring sessions in between lesson fragments held by R'zha. The students would be evaluated as a whole to start off with and segregated one by one based on skill. Throughout each 'round', each Unblood would be given the opportunity to show off special skills or traits that could be useful during _chiva_. Even with the promise of many talented students, there was always the possibility that they would be deemed worthless for that season. It was truly nerve wracking.

Luar'ka watched as the others all gathered into predetermined groups of three to spar against other groups. While teamwork wasn't exactly a common occurrence with the Yautja, especially during _chiva_ , good chemistry between Hunt Brothers was a must. Even if the three chose to work alone during the _chiva_ , they had to show they could tolerate and work with one another. Volatile personalities matched together rarely ended well.

She hung back against the wall, studying the various formations chosen and assembled and noting with interest how some groups had switched up members almost instantaneously. Thei'dah's group was among those numbers. Luar'ka ruffled her wings, her feathers fluffing briefly before settling back down. She'd watched these young Yautja long enough to know many of their traits and attributes intimately. There were only twelve in this group. That meant that nine would be stuck in basic training for another season.

While Luar'ka watched the sparring commence between groups, she failed to realize that she herself was being watched.

The Matriarch turned her attention briefly from the Unblooded males as she eyed the young alien on the opposite end of the room curiously. She turned to Sechinde, "Is that the Avian I have heard about?" she asked quietly.

Sechinde nodded, "Yes. That is Luar'ka. She has spent this past season training with the Unbloods as I have ordered."

Ki'vei-ta growled low, "Why is she attending the selection for _chiva_?" she asked suspiciously.

"She is not," Sechinde corrected carefully, "She is part of no group. I believe she is simply observing."

Ki'vei-ta huffed heavily, "I am curious to know why she has been kept with the males for all this time." she said testily.

Elder Sechinde did not respond. He honestly had no answer. He knew Ki'vei-ta was testing him; she'd known all along the Avian was aboard the ship. There was no way she couldn't. With nowhere else to go, the ship's grapevine was quite long.

"I am curious as to how she would fare in battle." Ki'vei-ta said somewhat airily, though Sechinde knew better. The Matriarch had ways of seeing things happen the way she wanted them to happen and used this power sparingly. And seeing the Avian fight was one such matter.

Luar'ka stepped further back to avoid getting in the way of the students. Already, three Unbloods had been forced into submission by stronger peers and they sat off against the wall, nursing their wounds and dented pride. Luar'ka regarded them briefly, her mind quickly settling back on the business at hand. Periodically, R'zha would bellow, stopping the sparring and removing students from the groups. There were six Unbloods left now. This was enough for them to begin squaring off individually. Luar'ka was inwardly thrilled to see Thei'dah among them. She'd known he'd at least make it this far. Now he needed to make it all the way.

T'ne'sa and Thei'dah faced each other, slowly circling the other one and watching for openings. Luar'ka waited for T'ne'sa to make the first move and he eventually did. Thei'dah had much patience and control, traits he was quickly learning to wield as effectively as weapons. He caught T'ne'sa around the chest and shoulders as the smaller Yautja lunged at him, pinning him to the ground with massive force. T'ne'sa shifted his center of gravity and thrust himself backward, knocking Thei'dah off balance and unlocking his grip around him. But the larger Yautja was ready and blocked the strike before it connected, shifting the momentum into his other fist as he slammed it against T'ne'sa's chest. Thei'dah took advantage of this opportunity and tackled T'ne'sa to the floor, pinning him down and bashing his fist against the smaller Yautja's skull. One show of strength such as this was all that was needed in this case to declare dominance and victory. Had this been a real fight or a challenge, it would have continued until one Yautja either submitted or succumbed to injury or death. Winded and in pain, T'ne'sa slunk off to the edge of the room.

Luar'ka tuned out the rest of the fight as the remaining four Yautja battled to prove their worthiness. She watched unseeing as the Matriarch spoke with each of the Unbloods before saying something to R'zha. The ones who were not chosen for _chiva_ would continue to train. Luar'ka sighed inwardly when she realized she may very well be among those.

She looked up as Sechinde and one of the female guards approached her. She straightened up from her casual position against the wall, staring straight ahead as they paused before her. Luar'ka said nothing, but waited to be addressed.

Suddenly, her feathers along her neck raised and that old tingling sensation shot down her spine yet again as she eyed the two of them carefully. Something was off.

The female Yautja let out a shriek as she lunged forward, jabbing her spear hard into the metal wall of the room where Luar'ka had been standing microseconds before. The Avian scrambled up the side of the wall easily, her claws digging into the grooves as she quickly moved to the ceiling. She tilted her head back to watch her opponent glaring up at her. The female spread her mandibles aggressively, snarling at the Avian twenty feet above her. Luar'ka faced forward again, easily shimmying along the ceiling, her tail stiffening for balance as she alternated one arm over one leg. She let out a sharp hiss and spread her wings, letting go of the ceiling once she was in the center of the room. She twisted in midair and glided downward to land on her feet, jinking to the side just in time to miss losing an eye to the female's blade. She swiveled out of the way as the female Yautja adjusted her grip on the handle, changing its angle to slash at her in a wide circle even from a stance facing away from her. Luar'ka spun out of the way, her tail lashing behind her as she counter-balanced her momentum on one leg before slowly dropping back down to two, eying her opponent warily. The female Yautja, now fully aware of the fact that Luar'ka wasn't a simple target, studied her for a moment. Luar'ka stared her down, unblinking. She curled her mouth back into a snarl, baring her few newly developed sharp teeth. Her feathers flared behind her for a moment before settling down against her neck. She could see from the female Yautja's stance that she'd already figured she wasn't fast enough to attack her head on. She was now waiting for Luar'ka's first move. Knowing her element of secondary action was lost, Luar'ka knew she had to start first if she wanted to finish last. Moving sideways, she flexed her claws, standing slightly hunched with her legs coiled beneath her, ready to spring. Just as she had stalked the rabbits of _N'-ithya_ what felt like ages ago, she focused on this strange new Yautja, slowly copying her circling motion, never once taking her eyes off of her. Every flash of her throat as she took a breath, every ripple of muscle in her body as she tensed for attack, even every beat of her heart pushing valuable blood through her veins, Luar'ka became aware of all of it.

Luar'ka flared her feathers and wings, emitting a sharp, reptilian shriek that reverberated off the walls of the _kehrite_. The female returned this battle cry with a roar of her own as Luar'ka charged forward, heading straight for her, causing her weapon to raise in preparation. At the last second, Luar'ka jinked to the right and then back left again, entangling herself around the legs of the female Yautja. It was a tactic she'd used multiple times before and with her opponent startled at the unfamiliar attack, Luar'ka sank her teeth into her opponent's ankle, right above the tendons. She didn't want to render her opponent completely immobile, but she wrenched her head backward, ripping out a chunk of thick hide, scales, and muscle. The female Yautja roared in fury and pain as she brought her spear around and jabbed it downward toward the Avian. Luar'ka hurled her body out of the way, rolling to the side and catching herself quickly on her talons, bounding away with a strong push of her legs. All of this had happened in the span of just under a minute. Several rotations had passed since her talk with Ikthya'de. It had been hard, rewiring her brain to once again think like an Avian, and yes, her 'slash n' dash' technique had earned her some ridicule from the other students, but there was no denying that it worked. Luar'ka could see that as she lingered just out of the female Yautja's range as she turned sharply toward her, clearly favoring her right leg which bled heavily.

Unwilling to wait, Luar'ka snarled again, the sound more high pitched and birdlike than the deep roars of the Yautja. She charged again, whipping around behind the female who shifted the spear in her grasp and jabbed it at an angle behind her to catch Luar'ka on the shoulder. The Avian was so pumped up on adrenaline at this point that she barely noticed as she launched into her signature move, leaping onto the female's back and digging her fangs into her neck. She felt the searing sting as the female Yautja latched her claws into her feathers and yanked hard to throw her off, but she dug her talons into her thick hide and held on, her fangs digging deeper and deeper into her thick skin.

Finally, a deep bellow sounded out through the _kehrite_ and both fighters stopped moving. Luar'ka carefully dislodged her fangs, lest she lose anymore baby teeth too close together and jumped down, landing soundlessly on coiled legs. The female Yautja, though bleeding heavily from her leg and rivulets of blood dribbling from her neck and back, seemed unconcerned with her injuries as she moved back to stand with the other guard and the Matriarch.

Sechinde stood close by, huffing once, deeply. His call had ended the fight. He strode forward, eying Luar'ka the entire time. R'zha stepped back away from him as he moved past and stared at the Avian before him. Though she'd grown considerably since her arrival, she still barely reached his waist.

"Avian," he addressed her in gravelly English, "You have spent a season with the Unbloods. How do you believe you have fared?"

"Not well enough, Elder Sechinde." Luar'ka answered without hesitation, "I have done well, but I have not met my potential."

Sechinde regarded her sternly, his eyes narrowing. His clicked his tusks together thoughtfully, a pondering rumble echoing from deep within his chest as he turned and faced the remaining Unbloods. Luar'ka could see the female Yautja she'd fought watching her. Her feathers flared briefly, but the female didn't seem to be staring at her with maliciousness. She just appeared to be watching her calmly. Luar'ka settled, her feathers falling flat.

Ki'vei-ta strode forward, addressing the younger Yautja. Her stance was powerful, commanding respect. Each of the remaining Unbloods kept their eyes down as she examined them. She hissed softly, nodding once, "All of you have performed well," she said, "The four of you are granted your _chiva_. Only three of you may go. Therefore, one of you must wait until next season. I will leave you to decide that amongst yourselves." she said firmly.

"I will wait." Thei'dah said almost immediately, catching Ki'vei-ta's attention. She turned, eying him curiously. He lowered his gaze, "I am cleared to participate in my _chiva_ ; that is good enough for me. I will use the time I must wait to further hone my skills in preparation for the event."

Ki'vei-ta was silent for a long while, considering him carefully. She cast her gaze to each of his three comrades, all of whom watched him warily, as if he might change his mind. He was the largest of the four of them and clearly the strongest; if he _did_ change his mind and decide to go this season, there wouldn't be much they could do to stop him. However, he remained steadfast in his decision, his fists clenched and his head bowed. Finally, the Matriarch nodded her assent, "I approve. Continue your training."

Luar'ka watched as Thei'dah's three peers spoke quietly with him as Ki'vei-ta departed. She smiled softly; she'd known he'd make the roster. Now all he had to do was continue to train and fight until he could take his own turn. Meanwhile, it seemed, she was to spend yet another season with the Unbloods, never getting the chance to return to her old comrades and continue to hone her _own_ skills. Well, if she had to wait until she reached adulthood, she supposed she was fine with that.

She huffed, beating her wings once as she bowed her head in despair.

She wasn't even fooling herself.

A/N: This is a special treat for werewolfbleu since she's been having writer's block. But she's also been a huge help for me and I wanted to give her a present. Plus, I didn't update for over a month due to issues, so here's the latest edition. Hope you like! See you soon, my lovelies!

~Luna


	17. Seventeen

Seventeen

The subject of the alien aboard the ship was always a hot topic amongst the Elders and the clan leader. Ki'vei-ta had heard it come up so often she was beginning to grow sick of it. However, come up often, it must, as it was a topic that did demand their attention, especially as the Avian female grew stronger and faster. Their concern was exactly how fast and how strong she would become.

"Need I remind you, we are dealing with a species we have not encountered in centuries." Me'vi-te said stiffly, eying the rest of the council narrowly, "When Sechinde brought that skull to the ship, they were already elusive. We know almost nothing about them."

"This is why we take the time to learn about our prey, _Paya_ forbid we allow them to outwit us." a female Elder said quietly, but firmly, "And now, we are presented with such a chance."

"The Endling is of no consequence," Me'vi-te argued, speaking of Luar'ka, "She will die like any other creature and the species will die with her. There is nothing more to learn and there is nothing more to do."

"You speak as if fearful of her." Ki'vei-ta remarked curiously, sitting relaxed in her chair with her hands folded in her lap. She tilted her head up toward the arbitrator, one of two they'd summoned to the ship for this meeting. Both arbitrators had had previous contact with the ' Endling' and she was curious to get their opinions on the matter.

Me'vi-te bristled at the implication of cowardice on his part, but he held his tongue before the Matriarch. He stared hard at her, struggling to place his next words carefully. While it was true that Ki'vei-ta had occasionally favored him over the years, having been the bearer of eleven of his offspring, two of whom still lived, Me'vi-te knew there were some boundaries he dare not cross with her. She was fond of playing devil's advocate during meetings, arguing both sides so she could see both points equally. It was an effective strategy, but a frustrating one nonetheless because she was always against you at some point during the conversation.

"I fear nothing from the Endling," he said sternly, "I see no use in this wasteful energy of looking after her. She will ultimately provide nothing for the clan. We gain nothing by keeping her."

"I noted something rather peculiar shortly after we found her." Thwei'ja said from his place a few seats down from Me'vi-te. All eyes shifted to the silent Yautja as he gathered his thoughts, folding his arms on the table and staring absently at it.

"Speak, Thwei'ja." Ki'vei-ta ordered calmly.

"Last season, we received orders to go and scout _Illmianyar_ for any sightings of _kiande amedha_. We found none. Not a trace of them. Kar'kha decided it would be prudent to take the young female outside with him, but later decided against it and left her while he continued by his lonesome."

He paused to make sure they were listening. He was a little too used to being spoken over due to his somewhat quiet speaking voice. He continued, "I was not there to see it, but from what I am told, she ran into one of the local residents."

"The Illmorein?" Ki'vei-ta said in amazement, "This is quite interesting. They are very skittish creatures."

"It was the young diplomat," Me'vi-te said, "S'iirai. I have spoken with her before. She was training under U'lla."

"The Illmorein are wary of outsiders," Thwei'ja continued brusquely, "We are forced to announce our arrival many rotations beforehand, lest we startle them. They do not do well under intense pressure, from what I understand. S'iirai herself is rather wary as well."

He turned to the two arbitrators, "I will allow Me'vi-te and Warkha to continue, since I myself was not there to see it."

Warkha stepped forward, his ghostly white hide and glowing green eyes giving off an eerie, ethereal look in the dimly lit room, "We arrived in time to witness the end of it," he began, his voice low, "The young Avian was battling alone against a Bad Blood Me'vi-te and I had pursued to _Illmianyar_. We saw that she was doing so in protection of S'iirai. Her distraction enabled us to get close enough to attack without the Bad Blood noticing. S'iirai no doubt relayed the events of that time to her people."

"This defensive maneuver has clearly left its mark with the Illmorein." Thwei'ja continued.

"I agree," Sechinde said suddenly, "We have received transmissions from them regarding sightings of the Sert'truuc. Normally, they are reluctant to make the first move, as it were."

Ki'vei-ta hummed, her tusks clicking thoughtfully, "They are more confident in conversing with us." she remarked, "Intriguing."

"I believe that S'iirai may have been involved in this change," Thwei'ja said, "And I also believe that the Avian was a factor in that change. We have received two transmissions from S'iirai asking to speak with her. We have had to explain that she was in training and must not be bothered."

"This is quite a lengthy method of convincing me the Avian is a natural diplomat." Ki'vei-ta said with a click of amusement. Thwei'ja chuffed to hide his own amusement in the matter. He resumed topic quickly, "She has an affinity for language," he said, "As we converse, she has learned two and is now adjusting a third into her mind."

"And how is she accomplishing this?"

"She is gleaning the information from our databanks." Thwei'ja answered.

Ki'vei-ta briefly flared her lower mandibles in irritation, but she tucked them back against her face quickly, "Very well. It is too late this far into the problem anyway. Sechinde." she said, turning to the Elder, "What sort of benefit do you foresee from keeping the female Avian?"

Sechinde eyed her warily. He had a feeling she was testing him. Of all the Yautja in the Triad, Sechinde was one of only three that had had direct experience with the unusual _N'-ithyan_ race. As humans grew more advanced and violent, attention had shifted onto them and the Avians sort of slipped into legend over the generations. Now that they had one alive and well aboard the ship, deciding what to do with it became an issue. Ki'vei-ta likely suspected Sechinde's history with the Avians, probably believing there was more to his tale of his acquisition of that skull than he was letting on. He huffed deeply, "I believe her skills are useful," he said, "Her speed is unmatched. I am under the opinion that if she were sent to _chiva_ , she would no doubt emerge victorious."

"We cannot do that." one of the silent Elders muttered, "Enough taboos have been broken thus far."

"Taboos are broken frequently, Neh'r'ki." Ki'vei-ta said breezily, "It is all part of the process of growth and evolution. Whether we choose to accept it or not is our problem. However, I do see your point. The Avian is far too small and far too weak to go to c _hiva_ , assuming we could reach agreement on it anyway."

"To what end has S'iirai been contacting the Avian?" Neh'r'ki asked Sechinde.

"The Illmorein is under the opinion that there may be more to discover regarding that race on _N'-ithya._ " Sechinde replied, "She wishes for Luar'ka's guidance on the matter."

"We will see about permitting this request." Ki'vei-ta said, "In the meantime, the matter on whether or not the Avian remains is closed. We will tolerate her presence here for the time being. The same conditions stand."

"What about her standing with the Unbloods?" Thwei'ja asked.

"She has endured a full season and prevailed. Her battle with Da'k-vi was quite impressive." Ki'vei-ta said, nodding her approval, "I will permit her to return to your group, Thwei'ja. You and your comrades are to take over in her training from here on. Continue to allow her access to the language bank, but restrict her from other data."

"There is also the matter of armor for her." Thwei'ja pointed out, "She is far too small to fit into discarded scraps."

"The tradition is to earn one's own armor." Neh'r'ki said irritably.

"That it is," Ki'vei-ta agreed, "And she shall. She may return to your pack within ten rotations' time, Thwei'ja. However, I want you to inform her that during that time, she is to resume competing for armor scraps with the rest of the Unbloods. We will then have them reforged to fit her. It cannot be helped that she is diminutive in size." she said somewhat impishly.

"And S'iirai?" Sechinde added.

"Once her ten rotations are complete, have her respond to the Illmorein's transmissions. Do not alert her until this time."

Ki'vei-ta stood, signaling the meeting was now over. She left the room abruptly, clearly fed up with talking about the Avian.

The rest of the council prepared to leave, muttering silently to one another as they did. Thwei'ja also stood, his shoulders sagging briefly with a heavy sigh as he shook his head. He glanced up at the approach of one of the arbitrators to his left, reaching up and shaking his shoulder in greeting, " _G'kaun-yte_ , Warkha." he said, "Your presence was appreciated."

"Tell me," Warkha said, "How long do you plan to spend on your next scouting mission?"

"It will likely be twenty rotations, I suppose." Thwei'ja mumbled, "I cannot promise anything. Why do you ask?"

"I was inquiring for personal reasons. Nothing more." Warkha said evasively, "I will return to _Illmianyar_ briefly to continue the search for any _kiande amedha_ sightings."

"I do not believe there are any," Thwei'ja said, "I saw nothing while I was there and my comrades saw nothing, either. At the moment, the world I am most concerned about is _N'-ithya._ "

"Sightings?" Warkha ventured.

"Plenty. The To'r'khe sent out three hunting parties to investigate. At the moment, we have no answers."

Warkha nodded, stepping back, "Very well. I shall await further news." he said, moving out of the room silently. Thwei'ja watched him go, feeling mild trepidation over the whole matter. In any event, he had other things to worry about. Soon, the little Endling was going to be back underfoot. As he neared his twilight years, Thwei'ja found he enjoyed commotion less and less than he used to. He supposed he should enjoy the quiet while he still had it. _Paya_ knew it wouldn't last.

/ooo/

"What?!" Luar'ka cried, bolting up in the middle of another examination. An aggravated snarl from Than'ja convinced her to lay back down, though she remained fidgety, "Why are you telling me this _now_?" she grumbled.

"I do not decide these things, _Luar-ke Lar'ja_." he grumbled, picking up a syringe loaded with blue dye. He injected this into her veins to follow the blood flow. Luar'ka winced as the dye began to work its way thickly through her bloodstream, causing mild discomfort, "I know that, Than'ja, but when something is happening that I am involved in, it would be nice to be alerted sooner once in a while. Just so I do not miss it." she grumbled sarcastically.

"You would not miss it, young one." Than'ja said, the sarcasm flying straight over his head as usual. Luar'ka rolled her eyes. Sarcasm was one of the few joys of tone she'd held onto from her time on Earth and it was completely wasted on the tone deaf Yautja. They understood various vocal wordings that implied inflections, rather than inflections themselves. This often made for awkward English dialogue whenever she engaged in her native tongue with a Yautja. Hence, the reason she spoke Yautjan as her dominant language. It was less of a headache.

"So, I have been praised by the Matriarch, then? I suppose that is _something_ to be proud of."

"You are of another world. It is much to be proud of." Than'ja said, "You have also been cleared to return to us soon. Ten rotations."

" _What!?_ " Luar'ka shouted, bolting upright, causing Than'ja to accidentally stab the syringe into her arm that he was working on, breaking the needle off and embedding it into her skin. Luar'ka trilled in pain as she flopped back down, grinding her teeth. Than'ja hissed at her and stalked over to the storage compartments for another syringe while Luar'ka painstakingly fished the broken one out of her arm. Than'ja smacked her hand away and used a pair of pliers to pull it out himself. He slammed the tool back onto the work tray and shoved her back down onto her back, snarling angrily.

After a few minutes, when Luar'ka judged he'd cooled down enough, she broached the subject again, "I will be leaving the _kehrite_ soon?"

"Yes," he answered gruffly, still a bit miffed at her, "I was informed by Thwei'ja during the night hours. You will soon return to the four of us."

"To do what?"

"Further training. I do not know specific details. I would imagine it will not be long before we know more."

She tried to sit up again, but again, he pushed her back down, turning her to her side to again inspect her wings. Luar'ka sighed, growing increasingly bored, "Are you finished yet?" she asked.

"Nearly," he replied, testing her wing joints again by flexing them in and out. Luar'ka glanced over her shoulder at him, "You are certainly fascinated with my wings, Than'ja."

"Is it hard to understand why?"

"Not particularly. You might as well amputate them, for how much good they do me." she grumbled, plunking her head back down on the table. Than'ja yanked one of her feathers out, causing her to yelp. Nothing more was needed to get the point across. Luar'ka found it odd that a Yautja as laid back as Than'ja could be irritated so easily by things she said without thinking. Maybe it was a sign that she was close to him and the others or something. She didn't know. She pulled her injured arm up to her mouth, licking the sore spot tenderly. She fell silent, deciding to doze while Than'ja continued to work on her. This didn't last when the door suddenly slid open with a _whoosh!_ Luar'ka looked up as Thwei'ja appeared and she instantly braced, sitting up despite Than'ja's protesting snarl. Luar'ka was used to Than'ja and the other healers seeing her lacking normal coverings, but she was still adjusting to the fact that nudity meant next to nothing to them. Her feathers flared as Thwei'ja approached, towering over her even as she sat on the elevated worktable. He eyed her briefly before turning to Than'ja, "Have you informed her, yet?" he asked.

"Of the impending transfer? Yes, I have. Just now."

"Good. Endling, there is yet one more stipulation you are to follow before you are returned to us." he said.

Luar'ka's brow furrowed, "Forgive me, but what did you just call me?" she asked, too piqued about the possible insult to care that she was going out of line. Thwei'ja's spines rose in irritation, "I called you what you are. You are an Endling. I will refer to you by nothing else. Now pay attention." he snapped. Luar'ka fell silent, her head bowed but her expression fierce. Thwei'ja overlooked it as he continued, "Before the following ten rotations are up, you are to participate in competition for armor scraps with the other Unbloods."

Luar'ka tilted her head in confusion, "What? But there is no point; None of those scraps fit me." she pointed out.

"This is true. Pieces you successfully claim between now and then will be reforged to a smaller size." Thwei'ja told her, "You must fight for any armor you will earn."

" _Ki-sei_." Luar'ka said firmly.

Thwei'ja nodded and turned to Than'ja, "How are her scans coming along?"

"Quite well," Than'ja confirmed, "However there is still more I wish to learn. Her physiology is a mystery to me."

"You will have more time. For now, she must return to the _kehrite._ She must have armor before we depart once more."

Thwei'ja turned abruptly, leaving as quickly as he came. The door slid shut and Than'ja sighed, "Well, that is that. You know what you must do, now." he said to her.

"Yes," she agreed, "I only hope I can succeed."

"You may. Give it time."

"On the chance I may fail, what then?" she asked.

"You are a special case; should this occur, I will speak with Ikthya'de about constructing armor for you. He will likely be in charge of reforging your pieces, regardless."

Luar'ka watched as he sorted his supplies, preparing to clean some of them and placing others away in their appropriate storage containers. She hopped down off the table and dressed herself again, adjusting her wings as she managed to tie the straps herself this time. Normally, she slept in her coverings and only bothered with the straps after an exam or whenever she bathed. Now _that_ was a whole other trip she didn't even want to think about unless she needed to. There were some levels of modesty she was still working on stifling.

She'd worry about the armor battles later. For now, she bid goodnight to Than'ja and headed to the storeroom. She was too tired to study right then, opting instead to bundle tightly into the thick pelt she still kept, snuggling down and breathing in the comforting scent. She listened to the sounds of her Yautjan brother working quietly outside the door, occasionally grumbling to himself in thought. Over the many, many rotations since her arrival on the clan ship _,_ she'd come to find that the clicking sound the Yautja made was one of deep thought or contemplation when executed in short, shallow taps. It was now a soothing sound for her, though she was sure that anyone else would find it quite ominous.

Twisting her tail around so it lay beneath her head, she transformed it into a makeshift pillow and closed her eyes, gradually settling into a much needed sleep.

/ooo/

Ten rotations. Ten rotations of the homeworld Luar'ka had yet to see. This was all the time she was allowed in which to win herself some armor. R'zha had apparently been told of the stipulations. This was the only excuse she could think of the following sunrise when she met the other Unbloods in the _kehrite_ for early lessons and saw a pile of faded, chipped, damaged, and next-to-useless armor and weapons sitting on the floor. She eyed it carefully, knowing that with her minute size in comparison to her peers, she would be able to seize little of it, if anything. But she had to have armor before she rejoined her brothers aboard their ship. If it could be re-sized for her, then perfect. All she had to do was grab _something_ she could use and hold onto it.

The way these battles worked was fairly simple. All of the students would rush to claim the pieces they could, of course aiming for the best. From there, fight to keep their prizes.

Simple. In theory.

Luar'ka knew she'd reach the pile first. There was no question. After all, for her, that was the easy part. But the hard part came when she stopped to realize she'd only have one chance to grab what she wanted and flee out of reach before the others made it there. For as fast as she was, she was a lightweight. Any of the students could easily steal what she claimed and there would be too much commotion to fight back easily. She'd be forced to surrender her catch.

The other students were eying the pile eagerly, already itching to get into the fray. They were all selecting what they wanted to aim for preemptively. Luar'ka stood close to Thei'dah, glancing up at him as he stood silently beside her, his fists at his sides. He noticed her looking and tilted his head down. She smiled a toothy grin at him, a mock challenge he found amusing, "No going easy on me this time, Thei'dah." she chimed.

"To think you would insult me so readily." he responded impishly, "I am far more honorable than that."

Luar'ka chuckled, tucking her wings as close to her back as she could to prevent injury.

R'zha was standing on the other side of the room, eying each of his students carefully. He was already testing them.

Luar'ka feverishly scanned the pile from afar, chewing on her lower lip nervously. In the past, she'd watched these brawls from the ceiling, out of harm's way since she could never compete. Now, she was going to be in the thick of things. Her heart hammered in her chest, her legs burning from the coiled tension she was building up for the spring. A few pieces in the pile caught her eye. She knew she'd need shin guards for her delicate, bony legs. There was a dull, faded set strapped together in the pile off to the side. But it was buried beneath the tattered remains of a _sivk'va-tai_ and its mounting fuel pack that attached over the shoulder. Of course the cannon itself was missing; those were the end goal for all _chiva_ participants, who would find their weapons hidden away for them in the heart of their destination, assuming they made it that far. What lay in the pile was simply the armor itself, whose value now lay in defense. She knew those were heavier than they looked. She wouldn't have time to dig the guards out from beneath it in the milliseconds she'd have once she reached the pile first.

That single _ki'cti-pa_ was tempting, even without its companion piece, and from what she could see, the retractable blades appeared to still be functional. However, those probably had to be made to fit the warrior in question; she very much doubted _that_ could be reforged. As much as it goaded her, she was going to have to ignore it.

The _al'Nagara_ sticking up from the center of the pile was appealing, but the blade looked a little _too_ long for her to handle just yet at her size. Besides all that, what she really needed right now was armor, not weapons. _Focus!_ She told herself.

Her eyes settled on a set of discarded shoulder guards. Except for an obvious dent on the one side, they seemed to be in fairly good shape. They were out of the way a bit more than the rest of the armor and tied firmly with strong cord to hold them together as a set. Her tongue flicked out across her mouth in anticipation; she'd selected her 'prey', as it were. Now, she had to run it down.

The waiting was torture. Even with her guarantee to make it there first, being able to shift from stationary to sprinting almost instantly, Luar'ka knew she'd have mere moments to snatch her prize. R'zha was doing this on purpose; he knew that the longer they were forced to wait, the more discipline they'd be forced to draw upon and the more keyed up they'd get. Luar'ka focused on drowning out everything around her, listening to the steady thumping of her heart pumping blood through her body, readying her coiled muscles to spring. Her tail stiffened on reflex, preparing to balance her launching sprint. As she centered her mind, the harsh breathing of the others faded from her consciousness, her gaze trained on that single set of armor. It was the same as hunting and fighting. The same fire, the same icy blood, the same pounding pulse. Adrenaline raced through her before they'd even begun. It was a rush truly worth living for. With every second she was forced to wait and anticipate R'zha's command, Luar'ka felt more and more alive.

R'zha barked harshly. Luar'ka's world exploded on her mind as she sprung the very second she heard his voice, darting forward well ahead of her peers as she careened across the floor of the _kehrite_ , her mind locked and on target. She could hear the others behind her, already beginning the battle for the crucial objects. All Luar'ka saw was the set she'd chosen as she reached the pile three seconds before the others and snatched up her selected prize. Her feathers flared and she bolted sideways, narrowly avoiding one of the others as he lashed out toward her, apparently having eyed the same set. She bared her teeth, her second eyelid going down as she bent her head and sank her teeth into his arm, ripping open his thick hide from the momentum driving her forward. She staggered away from him, taking off toward the opposite wall with her attacker pursuing her closely. Tucking her prize beneath her arm, she leaped at the wall and, heart hammering painfully, started climbing.

She screeched when she felt the tug on her feathers as the large Yautja grabbed her tail and yanked her back down. Instinct activated and she spun in his grasp, raking her claws across his unprotected face. Fight or flight had kicked in to the fullest and Luar'ka lost all sense of meaning as she thrashed viciously in his grip. It wasn't uncommon for her opponents to be unable to get a firm hold on her once she'd gotten in this close to them, especially when she was in the front instead of the back. Her throat burned from the sharp shrieks that left it as she slashed ferociously at him while he managed to catch her by the arm and fling her to the side. Still clutching her prize for all she was worth, Luar'ka twisted and collided with the floor on her side, her shoulder buckling. Righting herself, her tail lashing, she charged forward blindly, her second eyelid blocking her vision out. But now, her senses were all in high gear and sight was no longer necessary. The smell of his blood running down his face drew her straight to him as she attacked his face again while his sharp talons dug fiercely into her sides, ripping through her skin. Her arms halfway pinned by his grip, she thrust her head forward, her jaws open as she snapped swiftly at him, catching one of his mandibles in her mouth. Blind with bloodlust, she wrenched her neck back, hearing the sharp _crack_ as the appendage snapped under the blunt force. The mandibles of the Yautja were stronger than they looked and Luar'ka knew this. Even though her fury, she understood the needed force to break them.

Her opponent trilled a sharp wail of pain and raked his claws down her back, severing the straps of her covering which fluttered to the floor along with a gush of her bright red blood. Luar'ka screeched shrilly and slashed at his face one last time, propelling herself up over him and bounding off of his shoulder as she launched herself toward the wall. Digging her claws in, somehow still managing to hold onto the shoulder plates, she scampered up the wall until she safely hung from the ceiling, gasping fiercely and shuddering from the pain of the fresh wounds all across her uncovered sides and back. The vague thought of how nice those scars would look once they'd healed flashed through her mind briefly. Drawing in shallow, shaky breaths, she finally allowed her protective second eyelids to retract, her vision returning once more. Her blood continued to pour freely down to the floor below, occasionally dripping onto the upturned face of Thei'dah glaring up at her, his own glistening blood cascading from the deep slashes all across his scaly skin. She heard the furious snarl creeping up through his belly and chest before it erupted from his throat, his three undamaged tusks flaring widely in aggravated rage directed toward her. Luar'ka noted with a faint twinge of worry and regret when she saw his right eye forced shut from three deep gouges running from his forehead down to the side of his face, directly over his eye.

Flaring her own feathers, Luar'ka hissed back at him softly, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her gut as Thei'dah turned sharply and stalked off to rejoin the fray their peers were still embroiled in. All at once, the sounds of the vicious battle again met her ears and Luar'ka sighed heavily, dropping her head and digging her claws and talons in deeper, hugging her prize close as she started shivering from the dying adrenaline.

It...it was worth it.

 _ **Terminology:**_

 _ **al'Nagara-**_ **Long blade**

 _ **ki'cti-pa-**_ **Wrist blades**

 _ **sivk'va-tai**_ **\- Plasma caster**

A/N: Okay, I'm back. Not too terribly much to say right now, but I hope you enjoy this most recent chapter. I'm nearly done with the first book and am planning how to start the second book, with mixed success and few ideas. But it'll come to me! Hopefully. Until next time, my lovelies!

~Luna


	18. Eighteen

Eighteen

Scars were ultimately honorable trophies. The Yautja treated them as such and prized any and all they received in battle. Scars often told stories when their owners refused to regale the details to their comrades. Stories of conquests in battles against other Yautja, victories in hunts, fights against intelligent prey, or even scars received in successful mating seasons against both rivals and dangerous chosen females.

Luar'ka had to remind herself of this as she sat inside the the storeroom in the healing ward, gazing down at her hard-won armor pieces sitting askew on the floor before her. She couldn't get it out of her head, the sight of Thei'dah's bloodied face and possibly damaged eye glowering up at her as she hung safely from the ceiling. He'd managed to secure his own armor pieces following their little tussle, but she worried for his sight in that eye. She'd never gone that far into a bloodlust before that she so viciously damaged her opponent. But it had genuinely felt like more was stake then than just a set of broken shoulder plates. For a moment there, when she'd felt Thei'dah's claws slice through her skin on her back and sides, she'd honestly felt like her life was at stake if she didn't win. It felt like the night she met Kar'kha for the first time.

Than'ja came to fetch her before too long in order to patch up her wounds. Fortunately, the slashes weren't deep enough to be risky beyond simple infection. Than'ja slathered a good handful of cooling medicinal salve across her back and sides, smearing it on and into the cuts which had finally ceased bleeding.

"These will heal nicely. You will have impressive scars." he said admirably.

"I look forward to them," she agreed, "But have you seen Thei'dah?"

"Do not concern yourself. He has come and gone; another healer tended to him. Thei'dah will be fine. Whatever you did to him, it cannot compare to what he will face later on in life."

"Than'ja, I may have blinded him on one side." Luar'ka protested.

"It is irrelevant. He accepted the risks from the moment he began to prepare for his _chiva_. If he survives and decides the hunter's call is not his path, he will find ways around his blindness."

Luar'ka watched him work, still feeling her stomach ache uncomfortably. She doubled over in alarm when it suddenly rumbled its emptiness to both of them. Than'ja drew back, blinking in surprise before his upper tusks twitched upward in an amused grin, "You are hungry, I presume." he stated.

Luar'ka called him something that most would find inappropriate. Than'ja chuckled in that raspy voice of his, "I knew it was a bad idea for you to spend so much time with Ikthya'de, before." he said, shaking his head. She giggled briefly before her mind settled again on Thei'dah. Than'ja noticed her pending depression. As he pulled a roll of black bandages off the tray beside him, placing the roll in his mandibles' grip and tugging a strand free, he sighed heavily, "Injury and fighting are life among the Yautja, young one." he said firmly, but gently, "It is the life we choose. The life we accept. We all must accept it, whether we follow the hunter's path or not."

"Huh?"

He fixed her with a knowing stare before resuming his task, "The first Yautja I severely injured was Ikthya'de." he said simply. He watched her eyes widen. He glanced briefly at her as he continued to wrap the tape around her middle and over her shoulders; "The two of us have always fought, young one."

"But you seem to coexist so well." she pointed out.

"Of course we do. We have grown. We have learned our strengths and our weaknesses and we came to understand that we are stronger by bettering our weaknesses together. Many Yautja do not work this way. We still fight, but we still agree on many things."

"Why did you fight before?" she asked, referring to what he'd said to her a moment ago. Than'ja clicked his tusks together ponderously, "I was very strict with him. Ikthya'de grew frustrated with me. We fought, and I opened his skull."

Luar'ka gasped faintly, her teeth bared. Than'ja pulled the tape up to his mouth and snapped it with his sharp tusks. He re-rolled it and set it back down, "Ikthya'de bled heavily. Our fight was not sanctioned and I was severely punished. Ikthya'de nearly heard the call of _Cetanu_ that day. He was in _dhi'ki-de_ for many rotations. When my punishment had ended, I stayed by his side until he awoke."

"Did he pardon you?" Luar'ka asked quietly. Than'ja chuffed softly, his tusks snapping open briefly from the motion before tucking back against his face. He looked over at her, his upper right mandible stretched out in an almost wry half smile, "He did, but it took a very, very long time." he said.

Than'ja fell silent, then. He helped Luar'ka down from the table, behavior that was by this point quite uncharacteristic. She watched him quietly as he moved to the computer terminal with his back to her, a clear sign he wished to be left alone. Than'ja was friendly, but a very private individual. He rarely spoke of his own life with anyone, even her, close as they were these days. In the first days she spent with them, Luar'ka had been a little scared of Than'ja due to his incredibly silent nature, even for a Yautja. However, spending the last season with him, she'd come to learn that he used his silence as a means to think deeply about many things and was arguably the smartest Yautja she knew. She'd come to respect him deeply through all of this. She now genuinely saw the three brothers as her _own_ brothers. They'd risked more than she could ever know by choosing to keep her through all of this. She had to prove to the clan that she was not simply prey, that she was worth that choice.

Before she entered the storeroom, she turned back to him one final time with a small smile, " _Than'ja, sshnistr' ti'l il'no ma'kii nii'nja masen'tsish._ " she said. Than'ja turned abruptly in surprise as she disappeared into the darkened room and shut the door behind her. His mandibles ticked together ponderously and he tilted his head slightly in bafflement. He chuckled, shaking his head, "So you have mastered another one, have you, young one?" he muttered.

/ooo/

Luar'ka was beside herself with worry as she returned to the _kehrite_ for her final session with the Unbloods. She hadn't seen Thei'dah since the battle. He hadn't been present. Granted, he no longer truly needed to if he didn't wish to train with the Unbloods. He was cleared for _chiva_ the following season; he could now technically train whenever he wished to.

R'zha had already been informed that his most unusual student was now on limited time with him. He announced to her that she would no longer be welcome in the lessons following that day's session. It had sounded cruel, yes, but Luar'ka knew he was right. Anything else she hoped to learn would have to be learned in the field. She would now have to survive on her own skills and hope her brothers would teach her more of what they knew.

For now, she observed and participated in her final lessons with the Unbloods and she found herself surprisingly accepting of the fact that she was spending her last day there in training. The next time she came back, she'd enter the _kehrite_ to train on her own or accept a challenge. It was hard to believe.

Almost all of the Unbloods who had succeeded in the armor competition the other day now wore and showed off their hard-earned prizes. A small handful had failed to garner anything from the fight and stood with no more than their basic weapons and loin cloths on their persons. Luar'ka could see, and her heavily conditioned mind told her as much, that these few Yautja would be extremely fortunate to survive their _chiva_ when they eventually earned the right. She herself didn't wear her own prizes because Ikthya'de had already taken them to be reforged for her. Well, that and the fact that they were four times too large for her. Once they were ready, she'd wear them with honor.

Luar'ka hung back away from the Unbloods following lessons. She was understandably wary of them now, especially after the fight. S'kivn-a was likely still on her case and she had to keep her eyes open. General sparring was the main focus now for the students who remained. The tension wasn't as high as it normally was since this season's candidates for _chiva_ were already chosen. It was back to business as usual. Luar'ka moved out of the way to avoid one of the others plowing into the wall where she'd been as his opponent knocked him across the room. Snarling, his mandibles flared, he straightened up and charged back in, oblivious to her presence.

With lessons at an end for now, adult Yautja were filing in for daily training. The enormous room could easily hold up to a hundred individuals at any given time, allowing the Unbloods room to practice while their seniors sparred far more viciously on the other end of the _kehrite_. Luar'ka watched R'zha move to greet a few males he clearly knew as they entered. At first, she paid them little mind. She was going to be leaving soon as it was, so more arriving for training didn't bother her. However, one Yautja caught her eye and she instantly stiffened in trepidation; it was that white Yautja she'd seen a few times before. He was so obtusely easy to spot far away that it was almost ridiculous. Amidst the sea of radiant reds, yellows, greens, browns, and even blues on the multitude of skins belonging to each Yautja, his stark, glaring white hide stuck out terribly. He offset it slightly with his dark gray armor over his shoulders and around the backs of his legs below the knees, as well as the half dozen or so small skulls strewn on thick cord hanging twice around his neck. The intricate beads and trinkets adorning his tendrils practically gleamed against their slightly darker grayish white surfaces. From this distance, Luar'ka's powerful eyes picked up the striking green that made up his eyes, glowing nearly as brightly as their blood did. Something about his entire outlook was incredibly intimidating.

She bristled when he turned suddenly, those chilling eyes focusing directly on her. They were at least sixty feet apart, but he still picked her out as if he'd known the whole time she was standing there. She watched him cock his head to the side curiously and then, judging from the motions his tusks made, issue a trill of some sort to voice his interest. Luar'ka felt her feathers flare uncomfortably as she turned, heading toward the other door abruptly in her inward desperation to put some distance between them. After a whole year spent with the bizarre and frightening hunting race, what fear she'd initially had of them had dissipated in time. Now, looking at the Arbitrator who had saved her once, she felt the same as she had facing Kar'kha down that first night she met him.

Her heart hammered when she noticed him moving toward her out of the corner of her eye. She kept her steps even, managing her breathing to even out her steps and quash any trace of fear she might be exhibiting. She strode to the door and opened it, stepping out as casually as she could and allowing it to shut behind her. Knowing she only had seconds, she continued down the hallway and turned the corner, moving into the darkness beyond on her way to the healing ward. She heard the door of the _kehrite_ open behind her, but she kept going, moving as silently as possible and hoping she successfully gave him the slip without letting on how fearful she'd been in that instant. She heard a faint, low snarl from further down the corridor and then the almost silent _woosh_ of the door opening and closing. She sighed, her eyes narrowed in the darkness around her as she moved down the familiar hallway toward the healing ward.

Forget S'kivn-a; now she was in _serious_ trouble. She knew little of the Arbitrators, other than that they acted as the peacekeepers of the clan, more or less. Their roles were assigned only to mid-age or older Yautja who had proven themselves time and again in sport hunting, taking down the very strongest of beasts. They were in a sort of gray zone between ordinary Blooded hunters and Clan Leaders, which operated under direct command of the Matriarch. The sole function of the Arbitrators was to regulate dishonorable individuals called Bad Bloods. Any crime committed by a Yautja called for fitting punishment; if they owned up to their sin and endured their punishment gracefully, they would most likely be pardoned depending on the severity of the crime. However, many Bad Bloods came about from individuals who ran from their punishments. This is where the Arbitrators came in. Their lives were spent in isolation away from the clan in small shuttles they piloted alone, orbiting through the outer most reaches of the clan's territory. Being enormous and supremely powerful, the Triad commanded an enormous space territory and the Arbitrators in service to them were often absent for months or even years at a time, stationary and idle in orbit until called upon for action. They were granted occasional extended sabbatical back on the clan ship if they performed well. Luar'ka could only assume that's what the white Yautja was doing back on the clan ship for such a long time. Her mind flew back to the other time in the main gathering hall when he'd caught her staring at him. She clenched her teeth as she realized she must have disrespected him in this manner and now he was seeking her out for a challenge. Fighting the unseasoned, immature Unbloods was one thing; she'd never seriously fought a full-grown adult Yautja before. There was no way in the realm of the _Paya_ that she was ready for that. She had no idea what to do. But she knew she couldn't avoid him forever and still build her status. At some point, she would have to face him in order to keep what little honor she now maintained.

She sighed and tucked her wings against her back. She headed toward the healing ward to sleep and hopefully prepare herself for the inevitable.

/ooo/

This feeling of giddiness had plagued her from the moment she woke up to Than'ja shaking her awake far earlier than she normally awoke on her own. There could only be one reason for it. And this reason was enough to push any stress and worry far outside of her mind as she hurriedly gathered her meager collection of belongings together into a pouch she tied about her waist.

The word was out! She was leaving the clan ship!

Elder Sechinde had finally given her clearance to resume guardianship with her brothers. She wasn't sure if it was because she'd genuinely earned it or if R'zha had just gotten that sick of dealing with her. Either way, she didn't care. She was getting to venture into space again!

She eyed her fur pelt longingly though, as she prepared to leave the healing ward for the first time in months. She wished she could take it, especially since she was most likely going to get shoved back in the storeroom aboard the ship, but she forced herself to get over it. Needless attachments would do her no good.

Flexing her wings, she fluffed her feathers briefly before settling them back down against her head. She strode out of the room, heart hammering in anticipation.

Ikthya'de and Than'ja were both in the other room. Than'ja was going over some instructions with the other healers. They glanced up briefly as she appeared, but quickly ignored her. Ikthya'de caught her attention and motioned for her to follow him out of the room. She did so and he shut the door. He handed her a small, cloth-wrapped package, "I would like you to examine this before we set out." he said.

Luar'ka opened the cloth carefully, pulling back the cording holding it shut. She already knew what it was, having expected Ikthya'de to bring them sooner or later, but she was still unprepared for the sight she saw within the soft cloth. Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of her freshly forged shoulder plates, hard-won against all of her much larger and stronger peers in the _kehrite_. She was surprised to see that there were two pairs, one set for her upper shoulders and deltoids that curved slightly, with another set that would attach just underneath to protect her triceps. Blinking, her head tilting in confusion, she looked up at him questioningly. He nodded, clicking his tusks together, "The plates you won were quite large. There was material leftover, but it was not enough to do much with." he explained. He reached down and lifted the plates from the cloth, making her hold them as he separated the upper set from the lower set. The armor normally connected to the thermal netting the Yautja wore, which contained magnetic alloys that served to not only create the cloaking technique they used for stealth, but also to fix the armor plating directly to the material. Since Luar'ka didn't have the netting yet, Ikthya'de had fashioned thin, but robust leather straps to the underside of the armor. The soft leather was very strong, but would be easier on the Avian's more delicate skin during the stress of battle. Raising her arm, he fastened the straps tightly around her her joint, doing the same to the other side. He repeated the process with the triceps plates and then stepped back to admire his handiwork. He trilled in approval, "Good fit." he said, his pride at his work evident in his voice. Luar'ka glanced down at her new armor plates with admiration and pride, her wings extending outward as she turned her head, "They fit perfectly," she said, turning back to him, "And I am now itching to try them out."

Ikthya'de barked out a laugh, flaring his upper tusks in a bemused grin, "We shall see, _Gyun'r Mei'jadhi_." he teased.

Luar'ka watched as he moved back inside to join his brother again. Having grown to know the Yautja over the past year, she now understood more than ever how fortunate she was. Ikthya'de was unlike many of the Yautja in showing his outright fondness for her. She knew that not just any Yautja would take the liberties he had. Now she was more determined than ever to make him and the others proud of her. And this armor would help her do just that.

The healers inside had now taken over Than'ja's instructions for themselves, leaving their apparent superior to take his leave. Honestly, Luar'ka hadn't known that Than'ja appeared to be the leading healer in the healing ward. His knowledge was impressive, certainly, but she'd never seen him outright portray any traits one would expect to find in a leader. She watched as he gathered his own armor up and prepared to exit.

Their reasoning for leaving was quite simple; Thwei'ja, a competent Leader himself, had been ordered to meet with allied delegates on _Illmianyar._. Luar'ka knew that much of the mission. Their purpose of such a small group was vague at best, but she knew better than to question at this point. Chances were good she'd find out when they got there. She followed her 'brothers' through the darkened hallways which had now become familiar to her. Light was more or less absent given how sensitive the Yautjas' eyes were to even the faintest glimmers and heat signatures. Therefore, Luar'ka had also adapted. Her night vision was so far stronger than it had been the season before. They were heading to the shuttles docked in the belly of the ship where they'd arrived before. She hadn't been down there since that time. She knew it was dangerous for her to go there on her own, and her 'brothers' presence helped minimize the risk. At this point though, if she were attacked, self-defense wouldn't be an enormous issue like it had been in the past. Her tail swished in aggravation at the thought of more conflict. She just wanted to board the cruiser like before and venture out once again, perhaps put her new skills to use.

However, as they descended through the bowels of the ship, Luar'ka could already see that things were going to be more difficult. During her arrival, anyone who saw her was most likely under the impression they'd seen an apparition walking among them, that she wasn't real. Now, however, everyone on the ship, while many having never seen her in person, knew of her existence. While a few chanced a low rumble at her as she passed them, to which she replied with a growl of her own, the one who did actually outright snarl at her was quickly silenced by Luar'ka flaring her feathers in defiance and baring her teeth in a snarl right back at him before her 'brothers' could even react. It was a good thing that they _did_ react, intimidating the newcomer into leaving of his own volition with a poisonous glare to the Avian as he went. Than'ja sighed and shook his head, "Luar'ka, you have no sense of tact. You are fully aware of the ranking aboard the ship." he scolded sternly.

"But if I always back down, then how will I climb up?" Luar'ka asked. Ikthya'de huffed out a deep chuckle, clicking his tusks together rapidly, "She has a point, _Mei'hswei_." he said mirthfully, "Even the _eta_ on board rebel every now and again."

"Yes, and you know the usual outcome." Than'ja grumbled, "Grow stronger before rebelling, _Luar-ke Lar'ja_." he admonished.

Luar'ka nodded quietly, knowing he was right. She was still in delicate territory even a year later. If they hadn't been with her right that moment, she likely would have been engaged in a nasty fight just then. She followed in silence from then on, brewing over her thoughts and wondering when the day would come when her place would be cemented enough to begin defending herself.

/ooo/

The shuttle deck was far more bustling than Luar'ka remembered. But there was good reason for all this communal mayhem. A couple of good reasons, actually. For one thing, the mating season had just ended a few weeks before and many of the females were now preparing to leave. A handful always stayed, of course, to manage affairs and activities on the ship and keep in contact with the homeworld in arrangement for goods and supplies to be shipped out every so often. Luar'ka had found the seven rotation span that took up the mating season incredibly tedious. To prevent any mishaps from hormonal enraged males looking to pick a fight, especially with an alien creature they already distrusted, Luar'ka had been literally locked in the healing ward storeroom. Ikthya'de, the only one Than'ja trusted to keep himself in check during this stressful period, as he didn't even trust himself, came by every so often to bring her food and let her out to tend to her body's needs. Despite being quite skilled at managing his temperament during this time, Ikthya'de was still quite a bit moodier than usual and snarled viciously at her for trivial missteps she made around him then. Luar'ka sensed the need to tread lightly and remained submissive during that time when he couldn't help his rages, silently obeying his commands to return to the storeroom for her own safety.

The other reason for the chaos was that a clan hunt had just taken place and the kills were being dragged aboard the clan ship. One of the larger shuttles belonging to one of the Elders was used for this activity, as it could hold the greatest weight load per fuel ratio. The Yautja's fuel system for their ships was incredibly advanced, and while Luar'ka didn't know all the details, she knew enough to understand that ships only needed refueling once every half a season or so, sometimes even longer. Internal power cores flooded the ships with bursts of energy, generating enough power that sometimes, the fuel wasn't even needed for anything other than gentle cruising through the cosmos. Luar'ka watched silently as the kills were loaded onto special platforms suspended off the floor by a special kinetic field, situated about six inches off the ground. Seven Yautja dragged the corpses of the enormous animals onto the platform, held steady by the controllers standing off to the side. Luar'ka took note of the Yautja standing beside the platforms, holding onto the thick, braided cables that were used to drag the kinetic bases around. They were far smaller than the hunters manipulating the kill and their bodies bore very little scar evidence. They also weren't as brightly colored as most of the larger males. Luar'ka understood that these were a lower caste of Yautja, most likely ranging from servants to core workers, whose job it was to maintain the massive engine. Not all Yautja could be hunters, and not all were strong enough to make names for themselves following the mandatory _chiva_. While some who possessed respectable hunting skill took to routes of their own choosing aside from hunting, others were forced into lower ranking roles. The weakest became servant class Yautja, whose roles encompassed everything from general electrical maintenance to cleaning. They were some of the few Yautja that Luar'ka inherently mistrusted under any circumstance, period. The few she'd run into while they were cleaning the healing ward had been skittish at best and outright hostile at worst. She'd made the slight error of startling one thinking he was another healer. Needless to say, that hadn't ended well.

The animals they were loading onto the kinetic platforms were enormous. There were three of them this time. Their bodies were roughly twenty to twenty-five feet long with long, thick, muscled limbs, each foot holding a gigantic, vicious claw on all five toes. Their bodies were built like a fortress, layers of thick skin and fat enveloping the crucial meat and organs that would be butchered and turned into food. The skin was a dull gray, thick folds of it lying limply along the flanks. They possessed two long, whip-like tails with sharp spines running clear down the back, ending in a cluster of sharp barbs at the very end. The head was thick and square, perched on a neck about six feet long, and on one, its long lower jaw resting at an angle from its upper jaw with its tongue lolling out, thick purple blood dripping onto the floor. Their teeth were dull and flat, clear herbivores, especially given their overblown bellies which most likely served as a cauldron of fermentation for the vegetation they consumed. They had two sets of eyes, one on the side, and one on the front, the latter likely a leftover of a possible distant past as a carnivore many, many thousands of generations before.

The Yautja unloading the animals were careful not to damage the corpses in any way. Literally everything on it would be used in some fashion. Luar'ka only knew a little of what the animal could be used for, but she knew that its bones would become formidable weapons in time. The Yautja were many things, but they were never wasteful and they were highly respectful of the creatures that became their food, even treating their corpses with care as they unloaded them from the shuttle.

Luar'ka tore her eyes away from this sight as she followed her brothers through the throng toward the shuttle. It was situated at the far end of the docking sector and as they wove around individuals moving past one another, going about their daily business, Luar'ka caught sight of Thwei'ja and Kar'kha standing by the terminal of the umbilical gate where the shuttle was docked on the other side of it. Elder Sechinde was also there, speaking with Thwei'ja over the din of commotion around them. The three of them looked up as they approached and Sechinde greeted them with a short nod. His gaze trailed to the Avian briefly, lingering for only a moment before he focused back on his progeny, "I trust you will regale your comrades of the details, Thwei'ja." he said.

"Yes," Thwei'ja agreed, "The mission is straightforward. I predict no mistakes."

"Keep to that prediction. The Illmorein are skittish enough right now as it is with the news they've been receiving. I do not want the situation stirred up any further than it already is."

"If I may," Ikthya'de said, earning him their somewhat irked attention, "The Illmorein are always skittish. How is now different from a normal period?"

"Although we have confirmed no _kiande amedha_ on _Illmianyar_ , they remain wary." Sechinde explained, "They continue to insist on sightings and while we do not necessarily believe them, we are under obligation to investigate regardless."

Kar'kha stepped forward, shifting his gaze away from his apprentice whom he'd been staring at since their arrival, "I have forged a connection with Kivakei and Mi'vue in an attempt to smooth the matter over," he said, "They are willing to accept negotiable terms of sending a permanent scouting faction to the planet."

Sechinde nodded his approval, "Good. Inform Kivakei that I will prepare a communications specialist to meet with her. We need more time, but I have one in mind whom I believe will serve the purposes."

"Yes, Elder Sechinde."

Thwei'ja stepped forward, "There is one concern I have, Elder Sechinde." he said.

"Speak."

"Who exactly did you have in mind to communicate with the Illmorein? They are wary and refuse to speak with any they do not trust." he said, his voice dripping with peeved irritation. It was clear that his patience for the skittish horned race was very thin and growing thinner.

"I have considered that." Sechinde said, "It is far too noisy here. Let us speak inside the shuttle."

They moved through the terminal gate into the tunnel connecting Thwei'ja's shuttle with the main body of the clan ship. Luar'ka breathed in the gush of unfamiliar air, feeling her lungs heave from the new mixture of nitrogen and oxygen that differed ever so slightly from the clan ship's mixture. During her examinations, Than'ja was able to deduce that her lungs were incredibly resilient, much stronger than even those of the Yautja. He assumed it was due to her flight ability, much like her hollow bones, which made her body lighter. Her lungs were likely built to handle thin atmosphere while flying at high altitudes, which explained why she was able to acclimate and adapt to the unusual methane based oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere the Yautja thrived on.

They made their way to the cockpit and Luar'ka prepared to branch off toward her storeroom, assuming the males wished to speak in private. A sharp snarl cut her off and made her pause, glancing up at Elder Sechinde as he stared down at her, much to the surprise of the others. He gave her a rough shove, placing her in front of him as he continued on. This was a clear indication that she was to be part of the conversation, if only to listen in. Luar'ka chose to look at this as a good thing.

In the cockpit, Thwei'ja watched his sire move forward toward the controls, typing something rapidly into the computer. The screen glowed bright orange for a moment and they all watched as Sechinde waited impatiently, tapping his talons on the console board and rumbling to himself. Finally, the screen brightened and a blank room came into view.

 _"Mi'vue, will you get that? It may be Mariinye."_

 _"I doubt it, S'iirai; he wasn't within range the last time we heard from him."_

 _"Please, aunt Mi'vue, it could be important."_

 _"I keep telling you, you fret far too much to be healthy. If you would just listen, I—AGH!"_

Luar'ka and her brothers watched in fascination as a tall, elegant individual appeared briefly on the screen before screeching in alarm and falling back out of sight. The screen fizzled as something seemed to hit the console on the other end.

 _"What is wrong with you?"_

 _"I believe it is for you, S'iirai."_

 _"What?"_

 _"Just take it! Hurry, before they sign off! GO!"_

 _"Aunt Mi'vue, you are aware that they can hear you from here, right?"_

 _"GO!"_

A hefty sigh escaped the other one and they watched as another Illmorein appeared before the screen, this one slightly shorter than the other and sporting a long, flowing pearly mane. Luar'ka's eyes widened in amazement and she stood up before thinking, "S'iirai!" she exclaimed.

The Illmorein's eyes widened as well, her face breaking into a pleased, excited grin, _"Luar'ka!"_ she cried, _"Oh, finally! I've been trying for months to get in contact with you!"_ she gushed, completely ignoring the Yautja surrounding her friend, _"Are you well? Are you cared for?"_

Elder Sechinde chuffed loudly, breaking into the conversation with his depleting patience. Luar'ka quietly slunk further away from the screen. S'iirai noticed the aged Yautja at last, blinked a few times and then cleared her throat, " _My apologies, Elder Sechinde,_ " she greeted, " _I let my excitement take over. To what do we owe the honor?"_

"Greetings, Illmorein," Sechinde said stiffly in blank English, "I am returning a transmission sent by Kivakei on your behalf."

S'iirai's face showed slight recognition, " _Yes, I recall asking her to do this. Thank you for your prompt reply. I apologize for Mi'vue. She can be a bit...jumpy._ "

"I am sending a scouting party to your world. They will arrive within five rotations," Sechinde said bluntly. S'iirai bristled slightly at his sheer straightforwardness and nodded, " _I understand. We will prepare to receive them. I will inform Kivakei to brush up on your language. It's been a while since the last meeting."_

"There will be no need for that. I am sending a communicator as well."

S'iirai stared at him blankly, as though disbelieving of his statement. She hummed, _"Really? This is a welcome addition. Are they on board the shuttle now?"_

"Yes." he said.

" _I would like to greet them. This way I have a face to a name for when I inform the others."_

Elder Sechinde turned, moving away from the console. To everyone's shock, he grabbed Luar'ka's arm, shoving her toward the screen, ignoring her faint protests. He hoisted her up by her tail, again ignoring her now shrill protests, and plunked her down rather unceremoniously on the chair while she glared up at him, baring her teeth in her aggravation at the unprovoked abuse.

" _Luar'ka?!_ You're _the communicator?_ " S'iirai exclaimed, her eyes wide. Luar'ka started at her friend's proclamation and turned, facing her, "I am?" she said, "Wait, what?!" she yelled, whirling to glower over at Sechinde. He flared his mandibles briefly, tucking them back down against his face.

S'iirai listened to the telltale sounds of Yautja communication as Elder Sechinde began a quick series of growls, clicks, and rumbles, with sharp snapping sounds mixed in. Glancing at the Avian's face, she saw no trace of confusion, just growing annoyance and pure reluctance as Sechinde continued speaking. She supposed it shouldn't have come as a surprise that Luar'ka understood the hunters, having spent the last year living with them. And from the eerily similar growls and clicking sounds that suddenly rose from the Avian as she twisted in the chair, sitting up on her haunches to face Sechinde, S'iirai assumed it was no small stretch that she spoke Yautjan fluently as well. The two argued back and forth for a few moments before Sechinde suddenly flared his mandibles and let out a deafening roar that even had the Illmorein across the room flinching in terror. S'iirai shook her head rapidly, indicating there was no trouble as she again focused on the screen. Cowed under, the Avian sat slouched in the chair, her mouth set in a thin, distasteful line as she stared at the screen in disgust.

Luar'ka hefted a sigh, "Yes, S'iirai, I am the communicator for the Triad." she said, her voice bland and slightly robotic. S'iirai bit her lip to stifle the giggle of amusement that threatened to break free. Luar'ka snarled when she heard other Illmorein in the background laughing themselves silly.

S'iirai cleared her throat, clenching her teeth to keep from following their example, " _I-It is a pleasure to meet you, Communicator_ ," she said in a shaky voice. Luar'ka glared at her from beneath the feathers covering her eyes, "S'iirai, just get it over with." she muttered. She waited patiently while S'iirai moved off to the side and did her best to laugh without being too loud. Meanwhile, she ground her teeth at the sound of Ikthya'de doing nothing to stifle his own chuckles of amusement behind her. Clearly, he was highly entertained of Sechinde taking full advantage of Luar'ka's ability to speak with clear inflections the Yautja couldn't make use of.

((I am not forgetting this.)) she grumbled in Yautjan so S'iirai couldn't understand.

((I do not expect you to.)) Sechinde said calmly, ((Now focus on your task, Avian.))

Sechinde chose to ignore the irritated sneer she threw at him as she faced the screen again when S'iirai reappeared. He had known she'd be a little angry at this predicament and he figured he'd be lenient for now regarding her disrespectful behavior. _Paya_ knew he'd feel the same way if forced into a similar situation.

Luar'ka hissed and turned to S'iirai again, "Well, as the _newly instated_ Communicator, I know little of my intended duties. Would you be so kind as to run them by me?" she asked tartly, knowing Sechinde could hear and understand everything she said. She heard Thwei'ja sigh heavily in the corner, fully aware of how crass she was being right now. Quite frankly, she was miffed enough that she didn't care.

Finally reinstating her composure, S'iirai nodded, " _As the Communicator for the Yautja, specifically the Triad, you will essentially become their representative, translating what they say for the rest of us to understand._ "

"It seems to me like you can already understand them." Luar'ka pointed out.

" _To an extent, yes. However, inflections are extremely important for dissecting meaning in what one says. I am certain you see the block we often run into while dealing with the Yautja._ "

Luar'ka did, sadly. The Yautja had no inflections, barely any tone to differentiate what they said versus what they meant to convey when speaking with anyone who didn't understand their language. She was able to pick up on the cues after so long living with them. The Illmorein didn't have that advantage. She glanced at her companions standing silently and watching her before she turned back around, "Okay, I do see your point." she agreed reluctantly, "And yes, I can see where it would be an issue."

" _We do have a Communications specialist with us, Kivakei. However, even she has had difficulties in the past. Perhaps this arrangement will work out finely._ "

((You will begin your duties as of this moment.)) Sechinde piped up from the background. Luar'ka glanced at him apprehensively, but sighed, ((I suppose. You may begin.))

Sechinde spoke again. This time, his voice was lower and much calmer than before and Luar'ka listened to him carefully. She turned to the screen and looked at her friend, " ' We will be arriving on _Illmianyar_ within five rotations.' "

" _How many can we expect to receive?_ " S'iirai asked. Luar'ka didn't need instruction for this one, "Five, myself included." she said.

" _Good. One other matter, my people have heard of the trouble brewing back on earth through our human contacts. We wanted to know how much of it had been made aware to you._ "

Luar'ka turned to Sechinde, growing annoyed again. He had clearly demonstrated his excellent ability to speak English and given his advanced age, likely many more languages on top of that. She wasn't sure what the point of forcing her to communicate with S'iirai like this was. But she listened as he explained to her what he wanted said and then turned back to the screen, "We are aware of it, quite well in fact." she said, "As we speak, three hunting parties from the To'r'khe clan have been sent there to investigate and possibly hunt down the hard meats." she noticed oddly enough that her English now sounded a little broken. She wondered if it was the result of disuse for so long since she'd been speaking nothing but Yautjan.

" _The option has come up to lend our own support in this endeavor,"_ S'iirai said, " _Should you deem it necessary, we have a team ready to go lend its aid._ "

" 'No, for the moment, stay where you are,' " Luar'ka said, now speaking as Sechinde was speaking, repeating his words slowly both for herself to keep track and for S'iirai to understand. Sometimes, she had to replace some words with certain other words that otherwise made little sense in English. Yautjan wasn't entirely phonetic like English was, and correct phrasing was more important to the Yautja. Certain words determined whether you were speaking to a male or a female, for instance. And as she'd learned while practicing _Hssinian_ , some words had multiple different meanings that had to be placed in the correct context. The word _Hssinkish_ itself was a backwards amalgamation of two words meaning 'Reptile' and 'Water-like' in English.

She continued glancing back at Sechinde as he spoke, working out the meanings behind the different growls and rumbles he made. She faced forward again, " ' This group is coming to investigate the sightings you have claimed. From there, we will...proceed to...earth.' " she repeated, trailing off at his sentence conclusion as she realized what was happening. She shook her head, focusing again, " ' Thwei'ja is familiar with your world and shall accompany them.' "

S'iirai nodded, " _Yes, we are familiar with Thwei'ja. We appreciate the care taken to choose the group._ "

Sechinde grunted, indicating he was finished speaking. He stepped back against the wall and Luar'ka sighed heavily, "Uh...well, I suppose that's it, then." she said somewhat awkwardly.

" _Great. Now then onto other matters; I have some urgent business to discuss with Luar'ka. If your companions wouldn't mind...?_ " S'iirai chuckled, gesturing toward the Yautja with a gracious smile.

Than'ja was the first to pick up on the hint. He snarled irritably under his breath as he moved toward the corridor leading out. Ikthya'de cocked his head in clear confusion, but followed his brother. Elder Sechinde turned to Thwei'ja, ((I expect a prompt report of your findings. If you proceed to _N'-ithya_ from _Illmianyar_ for certain, I wish to be notified.))

Thwei'ja nodded, watching his sire leave. He turned to Luar'ka, ((We disembark within the hour.)) he said sharply. She nodded once in assent. He strode out, leaving Kar'kha behind. He'd been oddly silent all this time and Luar'ka could feel heavy tension rolling off of him in waves. She smiled at him, nodding, ((Come speak with me later when things have calmed.)) she said.

Kar'kha let out a low, rumbling purr deep within his chest, nodding as he moved out of the cockpit. The door closed behind him. S'iirai heaved a heavy sigh, giggling, " _Well, that was a nice turn of events. I honestly didn't expect them to leave so compliantly._ " she said.

"They are more interested in getting the shuttle ready for launch than they are in fighting right now." Luar'ka said, turning back around, "So tell me, what urgent business do you have with me?"

S'iirai grinned impishly, " _I have heard Noari refer to it as 'girl talk'._ "

Luar'ka raised an eyebrow, "I do not believe I am familiar with that subject."

" _I would imagine not; you live with males._ " S'iirai said drily, " _The idea is we, as females, also known as 'girls', simply chat and tell each other how our lives have been doing in the year since we've seen one another._ "

"I do not really know if we will have time for that extended conversation." Luar'ka said concernedly, glancing toward the door, "They may force us to wait until we arrive."

S'iirai chewed her lower lip, frowning, " _You talk much more formally than you did when we met, Luar'ka. You don't seem to use conjunctions anymore._ "

The Avian shrugged, "Just a habit, I guess."

" _I must admit, I was quite surprised to hear you speaking Yautjan so fluently. Kivakei took three years to learn a basic version and it's still a work in progress. Many sounds they make cannot be mimicked by us._ "

"I noticed those sounds. It would seem that I am able to make them." Luar'ka said proudly, purring on reflex. S'iirai quirked an eyebrow, " _I can see that much. Well, you are correct; I do believe our chat shall have to wait. Please make certain to come and see me when you arrive._ "

Luar'ka nodded, fully aware of the footsteps outside the door which S'iirai didn't appear to hear, "I will. Talk to you soon, friend."

She signed off abruptly as S'iirai was preparing to reply. She stood up, turning to face Thwei'ja standing in the doorway, his lower mandibles jutting out slightly in obvious aggression. No doubt in her mind, he was furious. Maybe it was S'iirai requesting they all leave for no good reason (which she herself found a little annoying), maybe it was the fact that his own sire had ordained a spot for her in their society (though she doubted that since Thwei'ja didn't have a history of petty anger regarding her) or maybe it was simply the fact that she was around and underfoot once again. Luar'ka stood tall before him, her tail held out slightly as she kept her eyes straight forward without meeting his gaze. He was rumbling softly, the sound emanating from deep within his chest. He was angry, but he was also controlled and very disciplined.

Luar'ka took a short breath and extended her wings slightly, bowing respectfully before him, "It is good to fight by your side once again." she said, desperately hoping that her respect for him was well-demonstrated with this display. When she raised her head again, she saw that his tusks had tightened back up, his breathing more relaxed. One thing she'd learned about the Yautja during her time with them, they were extremely easily angered, easily offended, but thankfully, easily mollified as well. Thwei'ja was a much older, much respected and fearsome warrior, and any respect he received was rightly deserved. Luar'ka knew that her place was to be submissive before him, lest she incur his wrath.

The light, almost pleasant sound of his tusks tapping together calmed her frayed nerves and she dared to look up at him then. He didn't move to greet her, nor did he engage her in conversation. He simply let out a low trill, "Fulfill your duties well, Endling."

"Yes." she answered confidently. Bowing her head again, she moved past him calmly, heading out of the cockpit and down the corridor to the storeroom. She navigated the dark, misty, muggy hallways easily, as if she hadn't just spent a whole season away from them. There was no sign of the others; they were most likely preparing for the launch. Luar'ka opened the door to the storeroom and stepped inside. She blinked in surprise when she saw the interior before her. The familiar oval room was roughly the same as she remembered it; however the layout of the shelves had changed. They were now all shoved up against the walls and sloped ceilings, sitting beneath the piping running along the roof of the ship. With the shelves pushed aside, a rather spacious, circular area was left open on the floor. A crude, worn sleeping mat sat rolled up in the far end of the room. Luar'ka moved toward it and undid the leather straps holding it closed. It fell open, unrolling at her feet. It was a relatively small size for a Yautja of average height, but it was overkill for someone as tiny as she was. It even had a thin, soft brown pelt stitched onto it like a lining. It was ragged, it was in need of repair and it had holes all throughout the aged pelt, but Luar'ka didn't care; it was clearly meant to be hers. Unable to suppress the smile on her face, she stepped onto it and folded her legs back beneath her, tucking her wings against her body as she stared out the window to her right, able to see through to the docking bay they still resided within. In the time since her arrival, this storeroom had somehow become _her_ room. Yes, she shared it with broken equipment and the smell of incinerated metal and leaking fluids, but she couldn't have cared less.

She slept in her armor and coverings that night. They would depart upon the start of the new rotation and start a course for _Illmianyar_. Following their visit there, they would proceed to _N'-ithya._ Luar'ka's claws twitched and she felt a low growl emerge from her throat. Soon, they would arrive again on the world of her birth. Her life had about come full circle so far. It was now time to meet it face to face.

 _ **Terminology**_

 _ **Eta-**_ Servant class Yautja, not strong enough to become hunters, or skilled enough to perform other roles

 _ **Dhi'ki-de**_ – The equivalent of a coma, the 'sleep of death'

 _ **Kehrite**_ **-** The training room

 _ **Sshnistr' ti'l il'no ma'kii nii'nja masen'tsish.-**_ Hssinian language, standing for "My thanks for your wise teachings."

A/N: So a bit of a longer chapter, but I couldn't sleep so this was what I did. Shout out to werewolfbleu again. She's finally writing and enjoying it once more, so this chapter was a present for her. Show her stories a little support and help keep her energized to keep writing!


	19. Nineteen

Nineteen

Luar'ka hadn't been expecting anything out of the ordinary as she rifled through the discarded and broken gear in the storeroom, some of it pieces she recognized from her stay there the year before. It seemed that Thwei'ja was something of a hoarder. He never seemed to know when something was too broken to fix. This thought solidified in her mind when she pulled out a gauntlet with its blades bent and warped so badly they dangled from their sockets. She knew she'd catch the wrath of _Cetanu_ if he caught her in here sorting through the broken gear. So, she'd simply have to be stealthy about it.

She about jumped out of her skin when she heard the door slide open, expecting to see Thwei'ja leering down at her. She settled a bit when she recognized the Yautja standing before her, unmoving as the door shut behind him.

"Kar'kha." she said, "I was not expecting you."

He stepped inside, his eyes flitting around the room curiously as he took note of the new shelving arrangements in the dilapidated storeroom. He let out a low, purring rumble in his chest and ticked his mandibles together, "This is interesting. Did you do this?"

Luar'ka shook her head, "No, I came here to find it this way." she said, "Actually, I thought maybe _you_ did it."

He shook his head slowly, his tendrils swaying behind him. Luar'ka noted that they were longer than they'd been the last time she saw him. She hadn't been able to see him very well during their brief reunion in the main hall of the Clan ship. Now that he was the only other focus in the room, she saw that he'd grown a little taller, as well as filled his muscular frame out a little more. His coloring had also brightened with vivid patterns and displays. His once blank reddish gold crest was now lined with elegant black and green markings in eye-catching patterns. He even had a few more rings and trinkets fused to his tendrils. She wasn't sure if maybe she was just not as observant as she thought she'd been back then, but now she saw that he appeared less like a young Yautja and more like the adult Hunter his brothers had both become.

Kar'kha stood in the center of the room, standing perfectly still and watching her. The hum of the engine reverberating beneath their feet was the only other sound to be heard as they cruised through the black void of space. Luar'ka just stared at him, trying to decide the best course of action for greeting her old teacher. Finally, she tapped her talons on the ground with a sigh, "I hope you will forgive me in advance." she said, making him tilt his head curiously.

Before he could truly prepare for it, she charged forward and leaped up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she started laughing. Startled at her actions, Kar'kha stumbled back slightly, grumbling softly at the back of his throat. This growl moved from his throat down into his chest as he relaxed, acknowledging this as just a very weird form of greeting she chose to use. If she'd been slower and given him time to brace himself, she'd never have gotten away with this. He turned his head to face hers, playfully ruffling her feathers with his mandibles. This made her start giggling madly and she quickly dropped down away from him, baring her teeth in that mock challenge he remembered so well. Then, her expression straightened and, in keeping with the customs of respect his kind adhered to, she lowered her head and bowed before him, keeping her eyes downward.

He knew he'd changed a little bit since their last true meeting before her training began. However, the changes she'd endured were staggering. Gone was the bizarre, fluffy material adorning her head that he'd grown used to. In its place grew long, stiff feathers like the kind found on flying creatures he'd seen both on _N'-ithya_ and on other worlds, to say nothing of the tail she now sported growing from the base of her spine below her skull. She'd grown almost a foot in height and now reached the center of his chest. Her body was leaner, appeared stronger. Her arms sported small, developed muscles as a result of her tough training in the _kehrite_. Her wings had increased in size as well. He suspected that if she possessed the knowledge, she'd be well on her way toward flight. It seemed the tiny, frail youngling he'd stumbled across on that moonless night a full season ago had disappeared entirely, replaced by a confident, tiny warrior-in-training.

She watched as he eyed her up and down, examining her carefully. She was glad he didn't seem too miffed at her impromptu greeting. She spread her wings and bowed respectfully before him, "It is good to see you again, Kar'kha."

He nodded once in kind, ticking his tusks together, "Your speech has vastly improved, Luar'ka." he said admirably, "You have learned well."

"I have been taught well. I am looking forward to Hunting with you when the opportunity arises." she said confidently. He nodded affirmation, "The time will come," he told her, "Once our business with the Illmorein is complete, our course shall be set for _N_ '- _ithya_. You will have the chance to prove your skills when that time comes."

He stepped forward and gave her shoulder a rough shake, his upper mandibles stretching aside in a grin.

He stayed with her for another hour, listening to her tales of her conquests in the _kehrite_ against the Unbloods, sitting across from her on the floor and watching her carefully. He was particularly fascinated of the story of how she acquired her shoulder plates, which he openly admired. He listened with rapt attention to her stories, watching in amusement as her various fluid motions she unconsciously threw into her words seemed to carry the memories back into her present. One talent the Yautja all strove to perfect was the art of storytelling. Hunting was crucial, of course. Other skills learned by Blooded warriors who chose different Pathways carried their own challenges. But what was the point of performing your chosen Path well if you couldn't regale the glories of it to your brethren? The art of storytelling was one of their oldest customs they held onto, passing down their exploits, conquests, legends, and myths. Continued through the generations through word of mouth by Hunters, healers, artisans, metalworkers, leaders, females and their young, and even the _eta_. It was the one thing every caste of Yautja held in common; tales of great leaders and Hunters of the past, the creatures they faced, the horrors they overcame, the honors won for their Clans. Their memories were as vivid and lively as the times when they occurred. As Luar'ka integrated images of her own memories of the past season into Kar'kha's mind through her words and gestures, he couldn't help but swell a bit with pride at how much she'd learned in her time away from him. From what his brothers had told him, she was only becoming more adept in their ways. His admiration of her continued to grow and he had a feeling that in time, he would cease seeing her as anything other than a comrade. His only regret was being unable to see her growth during the past year. His own training still commenced and he had much yet to learn about the ways of a Hunter. He had much to learn yet in general. He faced opposition at every turn. He was learning to pilot a shuttle on his own at the moment and such a skill was necessary if he ever wished to Hunt alone. He'd also been successfully permitted to mate this previous season and had succeeded in convincing an older female to submit to him. However, Yautja females did not conceive easily and the window of opportunity closed quickly. Despite his efforts, he'd failed to impregnate the female who had chosen him before she became enraged at his mere presence, forcing him to flee for his own safety. Such setbacks were common, he knew, and sometimes they couldn't be helped.

It made him wonder what Luar'ka would make of her life once she passed the boundaries into adulthood.

She concluded her stories and moved to her small bundle of belongings sitting on her ragged sleeping mat in the corner. Kar'kha watched as she fished through her items, coming up with a few strips of dried and salted meat. She trotted back over and sat down beside him, handing him a strip of meat while grinning in that bizarre mock challenge. Again, her strange mannerism of sharing her food caught him off guard, but he placated her and took the proffered meat regardless. He watched her bite into it, her sharp little teeth struggling to rip a chunk free. He noticed she had quite a few more fangs than she had had previously. As he nibbled on his own piece, mostly out of boredom, he wondered just how many she'd develop.

Luar'ka bolted down her food in a hurry and then sat staring calmly playing with one of her new shoulder plates, watching the stars fly by out through the void. A whole season had passed since they'd met like this, but it hardly felt like a day had gone by. Kar'kha found himself realizing just how quickly time had passed.

They sat in comfortable silence and Kar'kha handed her the rest of the dried meat. The fact that he'd accepted and partially eaten it seemed enough for her and she took what was left, finishing it off quickly.

"This is so strange." she said softly. He trilled, cocking his head as he turned to stare at her. She absently tugged at one of her feathers, "I will soon return to the world of my birth. I wonder if I will feel at home there again, or if I will feel out of place."

He wasn't sure what she meant. He had no way to relate to what she said; his home was technically nowhere and everywhere at once. Anywhere there was game to Hunt, anywhere his brothers were, the Clan ship, or even the homeworld. He even felt at home in the void of space, entirely uninhabitable without the most advanced of their kind's technology, so ancient and yet so familiar to him. He had assumed Luar'ka felt the same way. If she was trying to feel 'at home' somewhere, whatever that entailed for her exactly, he assumed it would be the Clan ship, which they'd now left far behind them.

"I wonder if my mother and brother are still alive." she said, her tone hollow.

"They do not concern you." he said, causing her to look over at him, "You have chosen your Path, and now must walk it. The _Paya_ have accepted you. You cannot turn away from them."

"I will never stray from their guidance." Luar'ka said sharply, as if offended that he'd suggest she might, "Am I not allowed to simply suppose?"

"It would be best to purge any thoughts from your mind that do not pertain to our task at hand." he said.

She didn't answer, staring off into space. Kar'kha clicked his tusks in thought. It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't remember her ever mentioning her family group before. He recalled the first time he'd ever seen her, sleeping alone in that small canyon. He'd found it strange even then for a youngling like herself to be out on her own. And during the time he silently pursued her, he never once saw or heard any others of her kind searching for her. The only other being besides the _kainde amedha_ that she came into contact with was that older female _ooman_.

"You still have much left to learn, Luar'ka," he said, though he honestly felt like he was hardly one to talk, given how inexperienced he himself still was.

" _Sshien n'hatzh so-skoit'ra mansso_." she snapped. Kar'kha jolted in surprise to hear _Hssinian_ coming from her so fluently. It was a language he was currently learning himself. While he wasn't entirely sure what she'd just said, what little he caught was _hardly_ respectful. He snarled viciously at her, stalking toward her angrily. She jumped back, flaring her feathers and baring her teeth. Kar'kha decided to take his leave, then. He exited quickly, this time leaving the door unlocked. Luar'ka was no longer a trespasser in their midst; now she was a member of their crew. So long as Thwei'ja permitted it, she had free roam of the ship.

He calmed his irritation in his chambers by cleaning his most recent trophy, the skull of a bipedal bird he'd taken down on _N_ '- _ithya_. He'd initially had mixed feelings about killing the thing considering how much it resembled his apprentice. He'd found it in a particularly hot, dry climate, barren of lush vegetation and only sparsely populated by humans. When he'd spotted it running at a distance, his first thought was that he'd stumbled across another Avian. It wasn't until he drew closer to it for the final blow that he realized it wasn't an Avian like his apprentice, but rather an ordinary species of _N_ '- _ithyan_ bird. It had taken eight shots from his _sivk'va-tai_ to bring the fast-moving creature down and then a slash to its belly from his wrist blades to actually kill it. For such a delicate creature, he hadn't expected it to go down with so much difficulty. Seven of his shots had missed it completely.

Kar'kha slouched slightly in his chair with a rattling sigh, his tusks clicking together slowly as he stared at the wall. For the past season, he'd worked hard to concern himself with the Avian as little as possible while he trained and bettered himself for the Hunt. It wasn't until about a full moon cycle before now that he'd heard of Elder Sechinde mulling over the idea of releasing her from the _kehrite_. When he heard from Ikthya'de that Luar'ka had been cleared to return to them, Kar'kha hadn't been sure what to think. Granted, the situation could very well be temporary; he and his brothers remained a Hunting pack with Thwei'ja on the elder Yautja's insistence. Though he was aware that the three of them annoyed the older male to no end, Thwei'ja obviously saw the benefits to having such a diverse set of talents at his disposal. It was probable that the four of them would remain a Hunting pack for some time yet. He assumed with guarded caution that Luar'ka would now be considered a member of this pack. Thwei'ja was nearly five hundred years old. Yautja his age and with his prowess usually moved on to bigger and more important things than simply being a Hunt leader. However, he seemed oddly content in his station and appeared to enjoy the long excursions in the void of space. It was rather odd, actually; he never seemed to get worked up over the Hunts, only the journeys. Kar'kha wondered if Thwei'ja tolerated the Avian because of this; because she had shaken up the status quo in the life that he kept rather monotone of his own volition.

Whatever the reason, Kar'kha knew better than to ask or dwell on it for too long. He stood up, intending to head to the cockpit to take over his shift at the controls.

As he moved down the misty, humid hallways, he heard voices coming from the engine room to his left. It was a spacious chamber that housed the powerful engine driving the shuttle through the void, situated in the center of the oval room with two floors, the metal stairway the only way down. He stepped inside, pausing at the railing as he looked over. He was surprised to see Ikthya'de down there, looking up at at the many gauges and pressure sensors monitoring the engine's status. Kar'kha blinked in amazement when he saw Luar'ka clinging to the wall by her claws, reaching through a narrow crevice in the metal where the wiring for the sensors lay behind. Under his brother's apparent instruction, she felt around carefully for the correct junction of cables and tugged slightly, pulling a thick cord out of the wall with a quick shock of blue static and a mild gush of fluid as it came free. He heard Ikthya'de praise her efficiency and then direct her to another segment to do the same thing to another sensor. Clearly, Ikthya'de was replacing the old monitors with new ones and needed Luar'ka's narrow body for the more delicate work his larger form wasn't truly suited for. He knew what he was doing, but he was mostly self-taught. It was clear he felt comfortable explaining the gritty details to someone small enough to reach them and clearly proficient enough to learn them quickly, saving him precious time in the long run. A wise move on his part since Thwei'ja wasn't fond of others mucking around with the delicate innards of his ship, despite the clear need for maintenance.

Ikthya'de picked up on his brother's scent lingering nearby and turned abruptly. He nodded his greeting before facing the other way again, watching as Luar'ka pulled another set of cables free. Following this, she spread her wings and glided down to the floor, folding her wings back behind her again. Kar'kha had to admit, he was impressed at how her wings had grown since they'd met. They were at least double the size they'd been previously. She flared her feathers briefly at the sight of him and lashed her tail. Kar'kha made his way down to their position, growling shortly at his apprentice for her show of defiance. To his surprise, she growled right back, her feathers fluffing out in all directions as she bared her teeth at him. Seems she wasn't about to be bullied, no matter how mild it was. Kar'kha clicked his tusks together and glared at his brother not even bothering to hide the amused smirk in his eyes. Ikthya'de had his upper mandibles raised in a wide grin, clearly finding the insubordination from the Avian hilarious. Kar'kha was hardly surprised.

"Do not encourage her, _Mei'hswei_ ," he admonished, "She will only become more cantankerous."

"She is female; she will become cantankerous regardless." Ikthya'de said. Luar'ka started growling. Kar'kha sighed, shaking his head, "To business; what is our estimated time of arrival?" he asked.

"Why are you asking me? I simply care for the engine and our armor." Ikthya'de said tartly.

"You are certainly in a good mood." Kar'kha grumbled, irritated at his brother's quirky mannerisms. They were slightly worse today than usual. He wondered if his brother was just keyed up for the journey and the possible Hunt for the _kainde amedha,_ or maybe his supply of fruit snacks had dried up,or maybe it was because Luar'ka was back.

Kar'kha extended his tusks in an irritated snarl and Ikthya'de clicked his own tusks rapidly in amusement; oh yes, his mood was dangerously good today.

"We are expected on _Illmianyar_ within two more rotations, give or take." he said mirthfully, " _Gyun'r Mei'jadhi_ , go and assist Kar'kha with his needs."

"What needs are those?"

"Gathering the scattered pieces of his sanity, I expect."

Luar'ka started laughing, which was quickly echoed by Ikthya'de's amused trilling and clicking. Kar'kha resisted the urge to snarl again. It couldn't be helped that the two of them got along so well, even if their shared humor was at _his_ expense. It was particularly ironic when Kar'kha remembered that Ikthya'de had been one of the loudest opinions against her arrival in the first place.

They left his brother to finish his repairs. Luar'ka trailed behind Kar'kha easily, her tiny clawed feet barely making any noise as she moved. Kar'kha intended to take up his shift in the cockpit, monitoring their progress toward their destination. And since Luar'ka had been shoved back on him now, he figured he might as well teach her how the controls worked.

Thwei'ja was in the cockpit, slouched in the command chair and looking very bored. Kar'kha didn't suppose he blamed him. Between launch and touchdown, sprinkled with the occasional run-in with the odd space debris, journeys to Hunting locations were fairly uneventful. Even though Kar'kha suspected Thwei'ja secretly enjoyed the extended downtime, he figured even their irritable leader had his breaking points.

Thwei'ja flared his tusks aggressively when he heard their approach, turning and glowering viciously at them with his mandibles still spread. Kar'kha checked his composure inwardly; Thwei'ja's breaking point had officially broken. Or at least it was close to it. He was even baring his teeth at them. For whatever reason, he was steamed almost beyond logic. Or maybe they'd just startled him, as he suddenly calmed, closing his mouth and folding his tusks back over his face, clacking them together once in the process. He stood up fully, exhibiting his impressive height of almost nine feet, signifying his advanced age. Though growth gradually slowed over time, it never halted for the Yautja. Kar'kha had endured several spontaneous and often painful growth spurts over the past several seasons, resulting in the modestly average near seven foot height he currently boasted. Given that his brothers were slightly shorter than he was, it was safe to assume their sudden growth was soon to happen and they'd probably pass him.

Thwei'ja was in a league of his own with both his power and the abnormal amount of scars he carried, even for a Yautja of his age. Nearly five hundred years old, Thwei'ja had certainly seen more than his fair share of fights. His deep red hide was riddled with so many scars that they interfered with his natural skin patterns. He might have sported dark stripes in his youth, but it was honestly hard to tell these days.

Kar'kha steeled himself as he faced his leader, lowering his head submissively to placate him. Thwei'ja grappled for some composure and let out a deep, rattling sigh that morphed into a low croon as he turned away toward the screen. His long tendrils swung idly behind him as he pulled up their coordinates, his rumbling continuing, "What is it?" he muttered.

"I am here to relieve you." Kar'kha replied.

"And the Endling?" he asked, glancing back over his shoulder and shooting her a poisonous glare. Luar'ka didn't budge, meeting his glare head on. This caused the spines lining his forehead to stiffen, making her immediately lower her gaze. He settled again.

"I am going to resume her training." Kar'kha said cryptically, "I will teach her to handle the controls."

Thwei'ja drummed his claws on the armrest of the chair, his tusks tapping unconsciously as he stared mostly unseeing at the coordinates. He sighed heavily, standing slowly, "Wait until we have touched down," he said, "I do not want to risk any mistakes while we are on route."

Kar'kha nodded, " _Sei-i_." he replied. He stood motionless as his leader slowly made his way out of the cockpit, moving deceptively slowly. Luar'ka stepped quickly out of his way as he passed her and he glowered down at her viciously, the continuous rumble in his chest deepening into a growl. He stalked out, the door closing behind him. Kar'kha sighed heavily and sat down at the controls. Luar'ka took a seat in the other chair a short ways away from him, monitoring the view field showing the immediate vicinity around the shuttle. She ruffled her wings and glanced over at her comrade as he sat quietly, his mandibles moving every now and again. Again, she felt small and immature in comparison to him. He was a young Yautja, yes, but he was also already quite accomplished as a Hunter and warrior. The whole small group shared this status. Luar'ka knew how fortunate she was to have been discovered by them instead of some other group of roving Yautja.

"Are you prepared for your role in this assignment?" he asked out of the blue.

"What? You mean as Communicator?" she asked, "I suppose I am. Or if I am not, I will be soon. Sechinde made it seem as though I had little choice in the matter."

"You have no choice," he reiterated, "You will serve as translator for us. This should cut our time spent with the Illmorein in half. Prepare yourself; this may not be the last time you will be called upon for this duty."

He gave her time to think on that. For the past season, Luar'ka had lived under the strict control and rules of the Yautja, never straying far from their guidelines laid down for her. Kar'kha knew her pathways were very limited. However, Sechinde seemed to have decided to open up a potential path for her to walk, having noticed her unique affinity for languages. It was common knowledge among certain Yautja that aerial species such as birds from _N_ '- _ithya_ and a few other avian creatures on familiar Hunting worlds displayed a curious ability to mimic the languages they came across. In the trading sector of the ship, he'd often come across trader Yautja from other allied Clans bartering goods, food, and weapons, as well as some animal species acquired from Hunting worlds all over the galaxy. He'd come across aerial species more than once that displayed lingual capabilities, sometimes even picking up Yautjan chatter around them. But with Luar'ka's species, it seemed this went beyond simple mimicry, extending into full on understanding and comprehension, as well as a penchant for fast learning. It was also clear she was able to use her knowledge to effectively communicate with those around her, a simplistic but highly useful skill to have. He could understand why Sechinde had decided to place her in this position. The Yautjan translators were effective, but they weren't infallible and inflections were lost completely through usage of them. With Yautjan, inflection meant next to nothing since tone was more useful when applied correctly to their vocabulary. But many other languages, such as the Illmorein tongue, required inflection to understand certain meanings.

"I hope I can live up to his expectations." she said worriedly.

"He has no expectations. You are to perform well or you will be removed from the position and placed within the _eta_ , most likely."

He resisted the urge to smirk in amusement when her feathers fluffed up around her head in alarm before settling down as she exhaled. He neglected to mention that she'd have to fail rather spectacularly in order to be degraded _that_ far in their society in such a short amount of time, especially considering this was literally her first assignment, but he figured a little healthy fear motivation never hurt. She groaned, her wings sagging, "That would be rather tragic," she whined.

"Then do not fail."

"Easy for you to say." she grumbled.

"Be silent." he snapped. She chattered irritably at him, but did as she was told and resumed watching the monitor. He hadn't taught her how to do this task; it was straight forward enough to figure out. It showed their pathway through the spacial coordinates programmed into the computer and then revealed an in-depth map of every spacial body in the immediate vicinity around the shuttle. If something was drawing too close, Luar'ka was to alert him and he would alter their trajectory to avoid collisions. Normally, the automatic navigator handled this task, but he wanted to see that she was trained sufficiently until they landed, when he could begin to familiarize her with the controls.

The comforting hum of the engine, the settling silence of the cockpit, the stars whizzing past through the portal shields before him; Kar'kha hadn't realized how much he'd missed this. For all of the chaotic Hunts, exhilarating fights, and honorable challenges he was growing to thrive on more and more, he found he rather enjoyed these idle, peaceful moments now and again. With time left alone to stew in his thoughts, he found leftover periods of contemplation allowed to him during these times. Often, the subject of his 'apprentice' came into his head and he cast a furtive glance toward her where she sat still staring dead-eyed at the monitor. He'd begun to come to terms with the fact that Luar'ka was hardly _his_ apprentice, more like _their_ apprentice. His brothers had done more for her sculpting and training than he'd been able to. _Pauk_ , he was still a training youngster himself. What in the name of the _Paya_ had been going through his head that night he found her, thinking he could train a suckling like her sufficiently? Even the Elders who took fully grown sentient beings as apprentices on a whim struggled to train them. Many didn't survive. He'd taken a youngling, practically a newborn, and one from a virtually unknown species no less.

However, he thought as his mandibles twitched ponderously, she certainly wasn't drowning under their harsh regime; in fact, she seemed to be thriving. She was still so small, but already such a handful. He couldn't suppress the pride he felt at her progress, but he knew he had to rein it in. Nothing good _ever_ came from over-indulging younglings on their accomplishments. It made the scarce praise all the more sought after and all the more rewarding. Most young Yautja trained under skilled and experienced mentors used to molding clumsy, uncoordinated, naïve youngsters into hardened warriors. Kar'kha and his brothers had trained under their sire on Me'vi-te's insistence on the matter. The old Arbitrator was brutally harsh and had only ever praised his offspring's accomplishments four times. But Kar'kha remembered each time well and had used those four compliments to enhance his strength of will. Assuming she could handle it, Kar'kha considered using these same techniques on Luar'ka. Once they finished their business on _Illmianyar_ and proceeded to _N'-ithya,_ he planned to take her on her first true Hunt. It was time to see what she could do.

He chuffed loudly, causing her to look over at him from the monitor. She stared at him a moment before ruffling her feathers and resuming her post. He was muttering unintelligible gibberish to himself, probably lost in thought. Luar'ka couldn't make out any actual words, but she could tell from the faint tapping of his tusks and the occasional soft snarl that left him that he was restless and most likely bored. He hated watching the controls. She was tempted to rile him up a bit, if only to give him something to do. Instead, a question popped up in her mind that she'd been meaning to ask one of them anyway. She raised her head, looking over at him as he fidgeted his mandibles irritably.

"Kar'kha." she said, making him turn his head slightly. A low rumble echoed from deep within his chest as he regarded her silently. She continued, "Thwei'ja refuses to call me by my name; instead he calls me 'Endling'. He says it is what I am. What does it mean?"

Kar'kha exhaled softly, slouching slightly in the chair as though fatigued, "It is exactly as it sounds," he said simply, "We believe you are the last of your kind. Thus, you are an Endling, 'The Last'."

"Am I truly the last?" she asked softly.

"Quite possibly. I was fortunate to stumble across you. Be grateful, Luar'ka; your status as an Endling saved you from me."

He heard the rustling as her feathers flared, "What?" she exclaimed.

"I wished—and to some extent, still do—to claim your skull as a trophy. However, I had no information regarding your kind in my database. And it is forbidden to Hunt creatures close to extinction."

Luar'ka sighed, "That makes sense, I suppose. You cannot Hunt it if you wipe it from existence. But it is also discouraged to Hunt youngsters and I was certainly no adult."

"You fought well enough to earn my interest." he said flatly.

"Until you pinned me against a tree." she grumbled distastefully.

"You backed yourself into that corner."

"You pushed me there!"

He turned and snarled darkly at her, his lower mandibles jutting out angrily. He'd had enough of the conversation, telling her as much with his head bowed and his back arched. Luar'ka wisely chose to stay silent. Considering his size compared to hers, it was a petty victory and Kar'kha didn't dwell on it. Instead, he set the ship to automatic navigator and reached over, grabbing her arm and dragging her out of her seat. He set her on her feet beside him and turned in the chair to face her while she stared at him in plain confusion.

"Thwei'ja will eventually understand you are a bit more trustworthy than hot-tempered youngbloods." he told her firmly.

"You are going to defy Thwei'ja?" she exclaimed, "Kar'kha, do you not enjoy living anymore?"

He gave her a sharp whack that knocked the wind out of her and set her keeling forward. She straightened back up with a snarl at him before settling, watching as he relayed the controls to her. He did see Thwei'ja's point about not letting her actually practice while en route to _Illmianyar_ , since the shuttles were at times rather difficult to manage. Most youngbloods didn't get a chance to handle them until their _chiva_ , when the shuttles they piloted to their chosen worlds were almost eighty per cent automated. The young Yautja only had to worry about keeping track of the pressurized atmosphere within the cockpit and activate the landing function. If they became Blooded warriors, they would ascend to shuttle control as the next step in their training.

Luar'ka paid rapt attention to his instructions. It was unclear how much she understood, but the important part was that she was at least absorbing the information. He planned on letting her test the controls once they'd landed and she'd completed her duties.

He shoved her back into the other chair when his sensitive hearing caught the sound of footsteps approaching the cockpit. Luar'ka didn't protest and immediately glued her eyes back on the screen, watching for obstacles. Thwei'ja stalked back in, eying them both sternly. He looked around and went to the other side of the cockpit, grabbing a box of tools from beneath the console. As he moved back and headed toward the door, he paused behind Kar'kha's chair, "I do not mind the defiance so much as I mind the deceit." he growled irritably. It took everything in Kar'kha's power to stay perfectly stock still while Thwei'ja left the cockpit as silently as he came in. Once he was out of earshot, he whirled to Luar'ka, her body shaking as she struggled not to laugh. He snarled and lashed out to grab her, but she was prepared this time and tore out of the chair, hightailing it out of the cockpit while Kar'kha roared his displeasure after her.

Luar'ka sought shelter from her brother's wrath in the storeroom. She crawled onto her sleeping mat and folded her legs beneath her, tucking her wings against her sides and folding her arms beneath her chest as she gazed out through the wide portal. She was still giggling mildly over that whole incident and knew Kar'kha was humiliated enough to stay angry for days. She smiled as she yawned and rested her head on the soft pelt of the mat. It was probably in her best interests to avoid him for a while, it seemed.

A/N: Newest update, but I don't dare write for long after watching _The Goonies_. Knowing me, it'll infect my writing. I love that movie, but it's as far from _Predator_ as is possibly conceivable, lol. Enjoy!


	20. Twenty

Twenty

Ikthya'de let out a deafening roar of anger and pain as the steam valve suddenly ruptured, bathing him in a dense fog of super-heated vapor. He staggered back, shaking his head violently and flaring his tusks. Luar'ka perched on a pipe a few feet above him and called down to him in concern, "Are you all right, _mei'hswei_?"

Ikthya'de sputtered and growled to himself as the sting from the searing steam began to fade. Thankfully, the Yautjas' hides were naturally extremely tough, built to withstand most any pressure. Considering the sorts of trauma he was capable of surviving—and _had_ survived—a brief super-heated steam bath was nothing. He huffed deeply, "I am unhurt." he told her, "I cannot say the same for the valve, however. It is fortunate we are near to our destination."

Luar'ka opened her wings and glided down, "Will the Illmorein have what we need?"

"I would imagine so." he answered.

"And will they be _willing_ to help us?" she asked cheekily. He threw her a look warning her to shut up. She shrugged, "Can you blame my curiosity? The most recent time you needed a spare engine piece, three _Ca'thr-ko_ warriors paid the price." she said with a grin.

"You heard about that?"

"It was the largest topic of discussion in the healing ward. Than'ja spent an hour sulking." she giggled. Ikthya'de ticked his tusks together in amusement at his brother's apparent jealousy over the matter he hadn't been involved in. The _Ca'thr-ko_ were formidable warriors from another neighboring system, just a little over the height of even the largest Yautja and nearly as naturally well-armored. They rivaled humans with their cleverness and even the _aseigan_ within the _eta_ dreamed of achieving the honor of fighting just one warrior. Their technology was advanced and the Hunting pack Ikthay'de had been with were well aware of this, enabling them to... _borrow_ some spare parts to make a stop-gap adjustment on their floundering engine, allowing them to complete the journey back to the Clan ship for proper repairs. He chuckled darkly as he stared up at the young female, "I do not doubt that. I will make a temporary adjustment for now; it should last until we arrive." he told her, moving beneath the array and cluster of pipes and out of sight behind the equipment.

Luar'ka giggled in amusement and shimmied agilely through the pipework, reemerging above his head on the other side. Ikthya'de stood a little under seven feet tall and the engine room was built to hold Yautja two to three heads taller than him. This would serve him well later, as it was clear he was very much still growing. Luar'ka easily suspended herself out of his way above him, hanging upside down with her foot talons grasping a thinner pipe behind her. She twisted her head back to watch him as he worked, taking careful note of his actions. He glanced at her occasionally, but said nothing.

After a while, he flared his mandibles in a wide yawn, sitting down on the floor and setting his tools aside, "It will hold for now." he said, his voice dripping with disinterest. Luar'ka dropped down beside him, landing almost noiselessly, "How old is this ship?" she asked.

"Very old, g _yun'r mei'jadhi_. I am quite certain it is similar in age to Elder Sechinde. Perhaps he is a bit older."

Luar'ka's eyes widened, "That is amazing." she breathed, "And the Yautja have kept it functioning for this long?"

"Yes. But it is starting to show its age, now. It may soon be disassembled and fashioned into parts for new ships."

"Provided Thwei'ja lets it go."

Ikthya'de chuckled and reached around for one of the pouches he kept attached to his belt about his waist. He opened it up and took out some dried fruit wrapped in _Mu'ave_ leaves. The leaf acted like _N_ '- _ithya_ cacti, possessing super thick outer skin to retain moisture. Curiously enough though, it was also surprisingly flexible, the fibers of the leaf loosely knitted to allow it a wide range of movement. The combination of the water retention and flexibility made it great for wrapping food rations in to keep them from going bad. He unwrapped a handful of dried _Mi'gha_ , which he knew was her favorite. He handed her half of the contents and watched as she popped a few slices into her mouth, squealing in pleasure from the taste and actually bouncing slightly while she sat a couple of feet away from him. He'd heard Kar'kha telling Than'ja how strange it was that the Avianwas so willing to share her food. In a way, Ikthya'de understood; the one and only time he'd ever deigned to do so was during the last food shortage aboard the ship when Kar'kha had been much smaller and weaker. Unable to fight for his own rations, he'd only continued to grow even weaker as a result. Ikthya'de and Than'ja had been part of a small group of like-minded Yautja who decided that the sacrifice of pride and honor was worth it to give the weaker Unbloods a chance. This was all taking place during circumstances that were not only highly unusual, but also obtusely disadvantageous for even the strongest youngsters who didn't stand a chance. They'd gone four or five rotations without eating their rations, enabling them to build a small collective supply. Then, the two of them and about seven or eight others secretly gathered a small group of the strongest Unbloods together and divided their rations among them. They only did it two or three times during that shortage, allowing the Unbloods to gain enough strength back to begin to fight for their rations once more.

Luar'ka shared her food regardless. It almost seemed like an acceptance by her if the recipient succumbed to her wishes and took the proffered nourishment. Most Yautja would have found it bizarre to say the least. Ikthya'de, Than'ja and Kar'kha all had an advantage; Me'vi-te's oddly worldly personality. Throughout their training, it had become obvious to the brothers that for as vicious as their sire could be, he was outright fascinated by other worlds and cultures beyond simple trophy-Hunting. Ikthya'de certainly believed the rumors that Me'vi-te had developed friendships with _oomans_ in the past while on trips to _N'-ithya_. Several of the Hunting trips he and Than'ja had been taken on once they'd become Blooded had been simply to observe rather than Hunt. Me'vi-te often made them sit in complete silence and tranquility for hours at a time in a high tree overlooking some valley or forest. The first few seasons of this treatment had been pure torture for the hot-blooded youngsters who were itching to get into the fray of a good chase. But over time, they came to understand what their sire was doing when he sat idly in trees, watching his intended prey. He was doing just that; watching them. Me'vi-te liked studying the creatures he Hunted as much as he liked to Hunt them. Occasionally, he'd cloak himself and then sneak in close to his targets, never making a sound. Sometimes, he'd even reach out to touch them softly before retreating once they became aware of his presence. There were many such excursions where he would encourage his progeny to practice their stealth by getting as close as they could to their prey without it noticing them.

He remembered these Hunts well, and looking at Luar'ka, he was grateful for it. Me'vi-te clearly showed an appreciation for the creatures the Yautja Hunted. But he was also honor-bound to the rules and steadfast traditions of the Clan and the Yautja race as a whole. He'd passed his appreciation onto his three surviving offspring, but it was clearly magnified in them. He himself didn't seem pleased to this day that Luar'ka was with them. But the Yautja had never taken young apprentices before and she was certainly an interesting prospect. Thanks to Me'vi-te's own odd fascinations, he and his brothers had been well-exposed to the universe and now quite contentedly harbored possibly the last remnant of a race that was once upon a time one of their prime Hunting targets.

Luar'ka stretched her wings out, pulling one around and running her claws through her feathers once she finished her fruit. She sighed, "I must admit, I am looking forward to cold water once we arrive on _Illmianyar_."

"Cold water?"

"Yes. Cold water will better stimulate my wings, I expect. I always feel sluggish after leaving the hot water on board the ship."

Ikthya'de snarled in disgust at the notion of using anything other than the hot water provided for them on the ship at the water station that doubled as a bathing area. Luar'ka grumbled irritably at him and sighed again, turning away, "You do not have wings, so do not complain."

"I doubt if I could get off the ground. I expect that I would weigh too much."

Luar'ka giggled at this and picked a fleck of grime and oil from her feathers that had attached itself while she'd been helping her 'brother' repair the engine. She frowned, humming, "I might bathe before we arrive. My wings are looking a little tatty." she said, mostly to herself. She wasn't fond of the idea. She didn't care too highly for water. It was better than in the beginning. Though young, her sense of modesty was already in place courtesy of her mother and aunt. It had taken quite a bit of willpower to banish it aboard the Clan ship where such a concept was virtually non-existent and bathing was a communal activity. Like the rest of their world, the water aboard the ship was kept very hot. Luar'ka found this helped immensely to soothe her injuries, especially if she just sat quietly in the water for a short time. Water was filled into wide, deep depressions in the metal interior of the floor, about ten feet deep at the greatest depth. The first time she'd gone into the baths on the Clan ship, dragged there by Than'ja who insisted upon it for health reasons, she'd been unnerved from the get go. Eight or nine other Yautja were there at the time, some cleaning injuries under flows of hot water emerging from specially headed pipework on the walls, while others looked half-asleep in the deep pool, either talking quietly, relaxing or silently healing. The baths appeared to be a place as much for spiritual cleansing as for physical. Of course, everyone had immediately looked up in startled amazement at the sight of the alien creature being dragged in by her Yautjan guardian. She'd been given a simple piece of heavy, scratchy cloth to drape over herself until scraps could be found to make proper garments for her. Than'ja had ignored her protests as he yanked it away from her and practically dropped her in the hot water where she sank like a rock. Terrified and somewhat unable to swim, Luar'ka had floundered a bit before going under again, scratching for the sides of the pool to try to get a foothold. She'd felt a heavy pressure on her neck and suddenly broke the surface of the water. She was forced to hang there, suspended for a moment as she realized one of the other Yautja had waded over and grabbed her, now nonchalantly holding her aloft in the water. She had glanced back at him in bewilderment and saw that he looked merely confused and a bit baffled. He gave her a shove toward the edge of the pool where she scrabbled for a grip on the side. He moved back to the other side and resumed his seeming meditation while healing. He appeared to be the exception however, as the other Yautja in the room seemed at best antsy, and at worst hostile. One of them flared his mandibles, openly glowering at her as she clung to the edge of the pool. Already at a disadvantage from being in the water, Luar'ka slipped and allowed herself to feel afraid. This was immediately picked up by the others in the room and the three who seemed most volatile started growling in response, their eyes flashing angrily as they turned in her direction.

Than'ja had chosen that moment to finally come back over and returned their growls with a deep rumble of his own, bordering on a snarl. It was a warning, just intimidating enough to tell them to back off. He sank into the water and moved in front of Luar'ka, still grumbling deeply at the aggressors. He did eventually start talking quietly with the Yautja that had stopped her from drowning, apparently familiar with this individual. Keeping her place behind Than'ja, clutching the edge of the pool, Luar'ka had spent the better part of those two hours completely on edge and feeling light-headed from the heat. After a short while, she'd been forced to climb out of the water and curled up on the edge until she'd cooled enough to get back in while Than'ja continued to speak with his comrade. To this day, she was thankful she hadn't passed out right there from both fear and exhaustion.

Ikthya'de received a communication on his comp on his left wrist and moved to check it. Luar'ka watched him do this, tucking her wings down against her back as she did. She watched as he typed quickly on the various buttons and controls on the device. It really was amazing how he could switch from goofy and laid back to all business Hunter so quickly. It made her wonder what a Hunt with him would be like.

"We are nearing _Illmianyar_ ," he said, "But there is a problem."

"What?" she asked, moving closer and perching next to him on her haunches. His brow furrowed and a deep growl left his throat, making Luar'ka's feathers flare out. Throat growls always meant business and now she was on alert.

"A Sert'truuc ship has been picked up within the planet's orbit. Thwei'ja is requesting our presence immediately."

Luar'ka felt her breath hitch in alarm. She recalled S'iirai talking about the shadowy Sert'truuc, the feared enemies of the Illmorein. She understood that the Yautja tolerated the Illmorein as allies for their information and access to the Sert'truuc as Hunting prey. But she'd never seen one up close. She followed Ikthya'de quickly as he made his way to the control room where Thwei'ja and Kar'kha were already waiting. Than'ja was nowhere to be seen.

Thwei'ja sat at command with the terminal before him glowing, showing off an extensive array of data he'd picked up from their advanced radar. He turned at their approach and for the first time, didn't glare at Luar'ka as she faced him. It seemed his priorities were placed elsewhere.

"We are going to alter our trajectory," he said, "We must engage the enemy ship before it enters the planet's orbit."

Through the portal shields, Luar'ka could see a tiny, iridescent blue ball floating in the black void of space, reminiscent of _N'-ithya_ in color. But she knew it wasn't. That was _Illmianyar_.

"What is our plan of attack?" Kar'kha asked, sitting down at the controls to Thwei'ja's left, "This is a small Hunting vessel; if that is a full-sized ship, we will not stand much of a chance of eliminating it."

"We are not the only ones in the vicinity." Thwei'ja explained, "Two Arbitrators are close enough to assist and there is a supply ship docked in orbit around the planet waiting for us. They are equipped to fight as well."

Ikthya'de took his post at the other panel, monitoring around the ship for debris that could potentially interfere with their battle. Kar'kha ran a thorough scan of the armament systems, making sure they were ready to fire. He scanned the list carefully, taking care to read everything; even the slightest slip-up could be disastrous. And the Sert'truuc were known for fighting hard and fast. Their ships were faster than the Yautja vessels, but they didn't pack nearly as much firing power. One shot from the ship's massive burnerswould blow one of their smaller shuttles to pieces.

"Enemy shuttle sighted." Ikthya'de announced, "Inbound off the right flank. We have been spotted."

"Cloak immediately," Thwei'ja barked at Kar'kha, "And ready the burners."

A shrill beeping from the monitor caught his attention and he turned, his tendrils swishing rapidly. His tusks clicked together as he processed the incoming transmission and checked its point of origin. His mandibles flared in annoyance and he snapped to his feet, "Endling. Come." he barked.

Luar'ka didn't bother bristling at the annoying moniker as she scurried forward around the chair, watching the signal on the screen light up as an incoming message came in. There was no visual feed activated as she opened it; it was audio only. And the sounds sent a shiver crawling down her spine. It resembled Yautjan ever so slightly, but it was quite off. Thick, gravelly, snarling sounds filtered through the speaker, interlaced with a shrill clacking noise no grown Yautja was capable of making. She could hear something in the background. It sounded like screaming.

"Do you understand it?" Thwei'ja asked her, placing his hand on the back of the chair.

"I do not," she said, "I have never encountered the Sert'truuc language before. But that voice in the background. I think it may be a hostage, Thwei'ja."

She listened intently, trying to ignore the headache inducing clamor of the Sert'truuc's voice chittering and snarling away as she honed in on the voice in the background. It was screaming and pleading desperately, and she found, to her horror, that she could make out what the voice was saying.

" '...Help...someone help...do not...they are...' " she muttered, "And now that insect is too loud. I can no longer hear."

"Can you tell who it is?"

"No. But I can understand them, so it is either human or Illmorein. They have taken a prisoner."

"I am detecting a vast array of spacial debris." Ikthya'de piped up, "It appears to be the remains of a shuttle."

"Does it have a signal still active?" Thwei'ja inquired.

"It does. Is is an Illmorein transport vessel."

Luar'ka's heart sank. The Sert'truuc hostage was a Illmorein.

Thwei'ja's mandibles twisted into a macabre smirk, "It believes we will spare it to rescue the hostage." he said darkly. Luar'ka resisted the urge to glare at him. As the Illmorein captive continued to scream for help through the speakers, barely heard over the frantic chattering of the cornered Sert'truuc, she knew the truth before Kar'kha even began to activate the burners. The hum of the powerful weapon charging up met her sensitive ears and made her feathers stand on end. Her claws dug into her thighs as she perched in the command chair, aware of her brothers speaking to one another and of Thwei'ja still standing behind her. He was so keyed up that his body temperature soared and the extra heat so close to her was making her dizzy. The Sert'truuc coward knew that it couldn't outpace the powerful long-range cannons of the Yautja ships. Before it even got out of visible range, the cannon would deliver the judgment of the _Paya_ onto the shadowy menace.

"The ship is turning." Ikthya'de declared, "Thwei'ja, he is fleeing."

"Pursue him." Thwei'ja ordered, grabbing Luar'ka's arm and hoisting her out of the chair. He set her down beside it and took her place, "Lock onto its coordinates and remain fixated. Do not allow it to fall out of range."

Ikthya'de sent out the locking signal that would practically glue the Sert'truuc ship's radar signal to their sensors. Once the Yautja locked on, there was no escape. Luar'ka watched him do this and then turned to Thwei'ja, now in full Hunt mode. She watched him calmly as he fired up the powerful central core of the ship, switching from the fuel reserves keeping them at a brisk cruising speed through the void. The engine's steady hum died for just a moment as the power sources shifted. Then, with a steadily growing roar, it flared back to life and the whole ship shook as the core began to pump energy into the innards of the ship, powering it effortlessly forward. The shaking stopped and to untrained ears, it would seem as though the ship had ceased moving, but Luar'ka knew better by this point. The Yautja ships were well built; even ones on the tail end of their functionality like Thwei'ja's.

"Are the burnersready for firing?" Thwei'ja asked. Kar'kha looked up from his post, his upper mandibles twitching outward in a pleased smirk, "Full power, Thwei'ja."

"It certainly took them long enough." Thwei'ja snarled under his breath.

"Well, it is to be expected, given the sheer age of this vessel." Ikthya'de grumbled out his two cents, earning a sharp glare from Thwei'ja, followed by the usual flared snarl. Luar'ka resisted the urge to chuckle; even in the midst of a crisis, leave it to Ikthya'de to poke the embers.

"Hold the signal within range."

Through the portal shields, as well as on the monitor, the Kheevi ship gradually came back into view as they pursued it. It veered sharply toward the planet, using the force of the planet's rotation to attempt to whip down at an angle to avoid the Yautja vessel. Ikthya'de saw this coming and barked to Kar'kha, who immediately fired the burners in the ship's direction. The powerful blue beam rocketed toward the ship, just barely grazing the base of the hull. Thwei'ja snarled in fury, clenching his fists as he whirled to Ikthya'de; "Do _not_ lose that ship!" he snapped.

"I have no intention of it." Ikthya'de said with a smirk. The ship lurched suddenly, adjusting its trajectory to tail the fleeing Sert'truuc ship. They used the same slingshot trick the Sert'truuc had taken advantage of, using the planet's gravitational pull to gain distance and speed at a sharp angle.

"It is gaining distance." Kar'kha announced, "I will lock on one more time, but I may not have time for another shot."

The Sert'truuc ship veered suddenly, turning away from the planet as another plasma beam erupted from the distance. Another Yaut ship came into view, this one faster than theirs. It dogged the shadowy ship closely, barely allowing it room to maneuver as the panicking Sert'truuc realized that it now had two apex predator ships to deal with.

"Warkha." Thwei'ja growled as he followed the new aggressor through the portal shields, "Follow them. Close that ship in." he commanded to the others with him.

He was distracted briefly as a transmission alarm blared in the cockpit. Thwei'ja smashed the console controls, activating the transmission and shoving Luar'ka closer to the screen while he continued to monitor the chase. Luar'ka watched as a familiar face came into view and held back the shudder of discontent at the sight of the albino Yautja she secretly feared.

" _The supply station is nearby, Thwei'ja_ ," Warkha announced, " _I am here and L'ti'v'_ _is also in the vicinity._ "

"I want that ship destroyed," Thwei'ja said harshly, "It cannot be allowed to land on _Illmianyar_."

" _Do the Illmorein yet know of the approaching enemy_?" Warkha asked, looking at Luar'ka. She swallowed her terror, narrowing her gaze on the albino male as she steeled her eyes, "No, they do not. Not yet. And our desire is to keep it that way." she said firmly.

Warkha leered at her, his tusks shifting as he angled his head curiously, not quite tilting it in full on inquiry, " _And shall I relay the message to them once the Hunt is complete?_ "

"Not necessary. I can handle that task myself." Luar'ka answered with a little more indignation than was probably called for. Warkha abruptly signed off and she looked up through the shields, watching as their ship and the ships of the two Arbitrators closed in on the Sert'truuc vessel. Inwardly, Luar'ka felt a twinge of sadness for the hostage on board the small shuttle, but she knew that the Yautja couldn't and wouldn't do anything to save them. What _could_ be done? The Sert'truuc certainly wasn't going to dock his ship on command and turn over the hostage; in fact, he was more likely to kill them in the event of capture.

Thwei'ja let out a deep bellow and Kar'kha activated the powerful burners. Energized blue beams erupted from the cannons mounted along the flanks of the ship, surging through the void toward the enemy. At the same time, the other two Yaut ships also fired. The Sert'truuc ship spun and veered sharply in the blackness of the void outside and while two of the fired shots missed, the third did not. It struck the left flank of the ship and Luar'ka saw the silent explosion as the ship was rendered to chunks of floating debris and detritus in the vacuum. Her wings sagged and she sighed heavily, listening as Thwei'ja ordered Ikthya'de to run a scan of the debris.

The transmitter buzzed again and this time, Luar'ka answered before Thwei'ja could, again seeing the stark white face of Warkha appear on the screen. She frowned as he nodded to Thwei'ja and glanced up at a monitor above the comm terminal.

" _Enemy has been dealt with._ "

"Inspect the general area. Make certain he did not escape." Thwei'ja ordered.

Warkha nodded, his eyes narrowing, " _I have already done so. There is no sign of any escape pod near here._ "

Thwei'ja let out a low rumble of satisfaction, "Good. Report to _Illmianyar_. We will need to confirm this successful strike."

Warkha nodded before focusing his attention on the Avian, " _I understand you are the new communicator I was informed of._ " he said.

Luar'ka bristled when he spoke to her. The only thing that came to her mind was the memory of his pursuit of her back on the Clan ship and how she narrowly avoided a likely challenge with him. She steeled her gaze, meeting his stare directly in defiance, "I am. My name is _Luar-ke Lar'ja_. We have met before, Arbitrator."

He nodded again, his tusks loosening from around his face, " _That, we have. It was nearly a full season before, was it not?_ "

"Yes. I never received the chance to properly introduce myself. The swift interference of Me'vi-te and yourself saved the lives of S'iirai and myself."

" _You call yourself such an odd name. I must admit; it fits you rather well._ "

She frowned when he brought the subject to her name, presented her by Kar'kha. She remained silent on his compliment, returning to the issue at hand, "I am to serve as the correspondent between the Yautja and the Illmorein. If you have any concerns to direct toward them, send them first to me."

Warkha leered curiously at her, his tusks working slowly against his mouth as he studied her. It was only for a few seconds, but Luar'ka felt incredibly uncomfortable with the way he stared at her. It was like he was mentally dismantling her, seeing what she was made of and how her mind worked. As curious as her brothers had been upon their initial meeting, even they hadn't studied her like Warkha did now. Finally, he straightened in his chair and his eyes flicked to Thwei'ja, " _My ship sustained damage during the battle. I shall report to the supply station and then proceed to the colony from there._ "

"Good. Do not take long. We have lost time with this whole debacle as it is." Thwei'ja growled. Warkha nodded in agreement and then repeated the gesture to Luar'ka in respect, " _I look forward to greeting you in person, Avian._ "

He signed off and Luar'ka felt as if her stomach had devoured itself. Outside, she was the picture of calm, her body loose and her face placid. Her racing heart was the only giveaway to the anxiety she now felt and struggled to hide. She ruffled her feathers, scattering dust particles that had begun to cling to them as a means of hiding the scent of her growing fear toward the white Yautja. It was now very clear to her that he wanted to challenge her. He would be the first experienced adult Yautja she'd fought.

And she wasn't looking forward to it. She'd seen plenty of dangerous death challenges between Yautja. One such fight broke out between two older individuals in the _kehrite._ It was the first such fight she'd seen and it had been spurred on by a disrespect of one Yautja's honor. She hadn't known that youngster personally, but to see him so brutally defeated and then killed so viciously, she knew these fights were nothing to take lightly and honor was something even more valuable than life it seemed. She was still in training, but that didn't make her exempt.

Thwei'ja gave her a quick shove out of the way as he resumed his place at the controls. Luar'ka watched him briefly as he began the complex series of commands to the ship that prepared it for atmospheric entry. She ruffled her feathers and silently left the room.

Kar'kha turned his head and watched her quietly as she left, tilting his head in inquiry. Her mood _and_ her scent had plummeted in the last few minutes and he had no idea why. She'd seemed fine just a little while ago. He sighed inwardly; perhaps Ikthya'de was right. Like all females, Luar'ka was likely just growing fickle and it was just easier—and safer—for him to simply accept it and make as little of it as he could. There was no fully understanding the female Yautja and he decided it was in his best interests to treat female Avians with the same regard.

/ooo/

"You will not last long at this rate, Luar'ka."

The Avian bristled at Than'ja's tone implying she was weak. Even so, she understood his true meaning.

"It is not like I can help it. I am still adjusting."

"Unbloods adjust as well."

She growled low at him, resisting the urge to turn.

She sat still while Than'ja sat behind her, using his sharp claws to brush through the feathers of her wings for her. It was something that needed to be done and wasn't too far off from the Yautja needing help with care for their own tendrils. Each individual tendril a Yautja had needed to be coated in a special oil to keep from drying out and cracking, encouraging smooth growth, as well as lubrication to help remove dead skin that got caught up between the living strands. But being unable to see what they were doing made it nearly impossible for a Yautja to manage his own tendrils' care efficiently, forcing him to rely on a trusted comrade for assistance. Trusted especially, given how sensitive those tendrils truly were. Luar'ka had seen Than'ja perform the same task on Ikthya'de and Kar'kha and the youngest of the brothers had become so relaxed during the process he'd flat out dozed off. Luar'ka now understood why Me'vi-te had shrieked so loudly in anger during their fight the season before when she'd bitten into one his tendrils; it had to have _seriously_ hurt.

Her feathers twitched at his touch, stunningly gentle for what one might expect of a creature capable of such raw power and violence. She had since decided that while it did feel good to have her feathers handled, it wasn't something she felt she could get used to.

"You have far too much you do not yet know to begin forming any presumptions." Than'ja warned her, "And do not forget, there are Yautja that will see you as prey or worse."

"How does it get worse than being viewed as prey?" she demanded to know.

"I am certain there are some Yautja who would decide to try to eat you."

She blanched at this and made a face of disgust, "Well, I hope that Warkha is not one of _those_."

"You need not worry; I believe you are far too scrawny to eat."

"Hey!" she snapped indignantly, though she had to work to suppress the amused giggle that threatened to escape her.

Than'ja switched to her other wing, brushing down her feathers the same way, "To some, you are viewed as an exotic enigma," he said, "To others, you are a 'pet' or a nuisance. You have never been unguarded, _Luar-ke Lar'ja_. To the Yautja who view you as prey or potential food, the chance to strike you has not come. I know little of Warkha, but I do not believe he will attempt to consume you."

"But you _do_ know of him?" she pressed.

"Yes. He is an Arbitrator for the _Sev'kai._ I have never personally spoken with him, but he is rather difficult to miss."

No arguing _that_. He stuck out like an oak tree in the desert.

"How old is he?" she asked.

"I believe he is somewhere close to four hundred years old. He is quite aged. He has also built a fearsome reputation as a Hunter. He is one of only two recent Yautja to successfully bring down a _Kra'vkat'ke_ on his own."

"What!?" Luar'ka exclaimed, whirling suddenly, causing Than'ja to accidentally yank a handful of feathers out of her wings. She hissed in pain and grunted when he grabbed her shoulders and forcefully turned her back around, facing her away from him. She sighed and stared forward, processing what she'd just heard. The _Kra'vkat'ke_ were a species of deadly sea beast, similar in shape to a giant salamander. Its tail was large and flat, creating a powerful paddle and its hide was comprised of thick, impervious scales that shone in a myriad of colors, capable of adapting to the colors of its environment to blend in and wait for prey. Its mouth was lined with serrated teeth, and opened almost five feet wide. They were the natural enemies of the _Hssinkish_ and the Yautja were granted access to them in exchange for information and the exemption from Hunting by the sentient reptilian race. But they were so strong that while many Yautja attempted, very few succeeded in Hunting them. Even worse, very few _returned_ from attempts to Hunt them. The _Kra'vkat'ke_ were some of the only creatures in the known universe that had become known for devouring Yautja Hunters.

"How did he do it?" she breathed in amazement. She'd only ever seen pictures of the great monsters, but images were enough. Than'ja shook his head, "No one is certain, young one. A fellow pack member watched him dive into the water and when he appeared next again, he was dragging the head of the beast on a strong line behind him. Even now, he is still quite strong from what I understand."

Luar'ka frowned, her mouth set in a thin line. Here she was finding out about Warkha being one of the stronger Arbitrators the _Sev'kai_ boasted and she _had_ to go and insult him somehow. The time she stared at him in the main hall. It was the only thing she could think of as to why he'd be at all so bent on pursuing her. She'd insulted him and now she was going to pay the price.

Than'ja finished brushing her wings. He scooted back a few feet to rifle through his pack of supplies while Luar'ka folded her wings down and turned to him, desperate for something to get her mind off the trouble at hand.

"Show me how." she said.

He looked up at her, his head cocked curiously, "Show you what?"

"Explain to me how to care for your tendrils. I would like to learn, and to repay the favor for brushing my wings."

Than'ja stared at her a while, his dark eyes narrowed as he thought it over. Normally, he had Ikthya'de care for his tendrils when they needed it and again, it was a matter of trust to allow anyone to touch them. The only exceptions were during the beading ceremonies when Yautja received higher rank and honor for their accomplishments with beads and trinkets that were then fused into their strands. Like the pleating ceremony as Unbloods, the beading process was excruciatingly painful, but they were expected to endure it. Basic care was a little different, but he understood her vantage point. He had a small vial of the oils used on their tresses in his pack. He dug it out and held it for a moment, considering it briefly. He sighed and motioned her forward, "If you pull them, I _will_ attack you." he warned darkly. He was serious.

"I will not pull them." she said sternly. She took the vial from him and stood up, moving behind him, "What do I do?"

Than'ja sat slightly hunched to make it easier to reach his tendrils; even sitting down, he was up to her chest in height. He sighed heavily, "You are to take the vial and pour a small amount into your hands. Make sure your skin is well-coated." he instructed.

She did so, setting the vial down and rubbing the oil through her palms and fingers. It was indescribably slick and smelled like several different varieties of nuts. Starting out a dull golden color in the vial and resembling the salve Than'ja kept in his medical supplies, when applied to her skin it took on a slightly greenish hue, perhaps reacting to the chemicals on her hands.

"Now," he said, exhaling deeply as he forced himself to relax, "You must begin to work the oil along the length of each tendril, starting as close to the base as possible and work your way down to the tip of the end."

"What if I use too much?" she asked.

"That is not a concern. Feel free to use more if you need to. I have plenty in supply."

She stepped closer to him and reached out carefully, taking hold of one of his tendrils with a featherweight grip. A visible shudder ran through him and she wasn't sure if he was uncertain of someone new handling these extremely sensitive appendages or not. He didn't complain, though, so she continued. She began to slowly and gently massage the oil from her hands all along the surface of the single tendril, twisting her hand around its base as close to his skull as she could before moving further down. He shuddered again, a deep rumble forming in his chest. As she finished with the first tendril and moved on to the second one, this rumble slowly began to form into a purr. Luar'ka smiled slightly, relieved that she seemed to be doing the process correctly. She moved back and forth along the tendril, working more oil in. She found their texture to be quite interesting. They looked rough and solid by just looking at them, but to actually touch them, they were surprisingly soft and flexible. The texture was almost velvety smooth. She was aware that, like her feathers, their tendrils were completely alive and capable of sensation. However, theirs appeared to be at least three times more sensitive. As Than'ja continued to purr and occasionally shiver from the sensation of it, she supposed it was a fair description to say that the tendrils were basically exterior, living nerve endings. She moved the two finished ones aside and gently lifted the third one to receive treatment. She gathered more oil into her hands from the vial and set to work again. Than'ja's purr increased in volume and his head and shoulders dipped slightly. He was finally relaxing properly.

Luar'ka felt honored that he trusted her enough to assist him with this delicate necessity. To him, once he finally became used to it and settled down, it wasn't a big deal. To her though, it honestly felt like yet one more step toward complete and total acceptance into the Yautjan world. She was able to momentarily forget her troubles with Warkha, the anxiety of Sechinde forcing the role of communicator on her and her own inner worries of more trivial things, such as her wings and their functionality. For now, she allowed herself to work and relax a little as well, content with the fact that at least one Yautja appeared to trust her implicitly.

It was enough for the time being.

A/N: Sorry for the lateness in the update. The story has been finished entirely and I'm currently taking a short break. I have started the sequel. I've been away from home for three months and I go home this saturday. I got a random idea for a way to poke fun at the mimicry the predators use while hunting so I thought about incorporating that somehow. As for the completion of the story, a huge shout out to werewolfbleu, without whose help, this story would be vastly different. As we speak, something interesting may be developing for the story, but I'll save the details on that until I'm positive. So for now, I hope you enjoyed this most recent chapter.


	21. Twenty One

Twenty-One

The supply station orbiting _Illmianyar_ was surprisingly quiet. Luar'ka found it odd that so few Yautja currently were aboard it. Thwei'ja had docked their ship alongside the larger supply shuttle and then insisted on dragging her aboard with himself and the others. Luar'ka had, of course, been a bit miffed at this treatment, but she forced herself to get over it. Complaining did no good whatsoever.

She soon understood why this shuttle was so quiet. Not only were there few Yautja there to manage the shuttle, but the ones who _were_ there were all female. They appeared almost immediately to demand the purpose of their business there. Luar'ka stuck close to Kar'kha and his brothers while Thwei'ja explained his purpose there. The female he spoke with then nodded and motioned off to the left before turning and leaving him to his business. Thwei'ja approached another docking terminal, leaving his pack behind to see to any repairs the aged shuttle required.

While Luar'ka helped Ikthya'de by finding the various tools he needed, she cast occasional glances over at Thwei'ja. She sighed in dismay and apprehension when she saw him speaking with Warkha about something. She should have guessed the Arbitrator would still be there when they arrived. She kept her head down and said little as she followed her brother's instructions. He glanced at her now and again as she fished his requested tools from the case, noticing how quiet she was being. While it concerned him, he left the matter alone for the time being.

Luar'ka kept Thwei'ja and Warkha in her peripheral vision as best she could. For the most part, Warkha didn't seem to have noticed her. Their conversation looked serious and she wondered vaguely what it was about. When Ikthya'de barked at her suddenly to pay attention, she forced herself to shift her focus and turned away from them, concentrating on the repairs.

Meanwhile, Thwei'ja listened as Warkha relayed the details of his pursuit of the Sert'truuc ship. Turns out he'd been following it for a while before Thwei'ja and his pack got involved.

"If I had known you were currently Hunting the creature, I would have held back." he said.

"The extra assistance was needed." Warkha replied, "The Sert'truuc do not go down easily. You saw, Thwei'ja; it took three shots to bring that shuttle down. They are hard to hit."

"Do you know anything about the captive it had with it?" Thwei'ja asked.

"I do. His name was Kiimarii. He was a messenger returning from a post. I had encountered him before."

"There was nothing to bring back?"

"That is an interesting question." Warkha said peevishly. Thwei'ja snarled lightly, flaring his tusks, "You are aware of the Illmorein's customs, Warkha. They will already be angry about the destruction of their kin. Remains would have placated them."

"This is certainly an odd turn of events," Warkha said, shaking his head, "That we of the Yautja must spare the fears of the Illmorein."

"I am aware." Thwei'ja said bitterly, "However, it is what must be done and they are indisputably valuable as allies. The Matriarch is hoping to glean more information from them on a rumor she has heard from another Clan."

"What rumor?"

"Not now. It is an in-depth discussion. I will speak with you later on the subject."

Warkha nodded. "Agreed. Now, I have an inquiry for you, regarding the Avian."

Thwei'ja shot him a look of warning. Warkha either didn't notice it or feigned ignorance as he continued, "I have read texts on the subject of their existence and seen the skulls which appeared to be so like those of the _ooman_ race, but so different. And here, I see one up close."

"You saw her last season on _Illmianyar_." Thwei'ja grumbled, "She is of no consequence. A nuisance, nothing more."

"Perhaps, but this does not lessen my interest. The stories I have heard." he said with an air of dark intrigue, "The texts date back thousands of years prior to now and I have no reason to doubt their validity. It is written in them that for all three captured Avians, the Yautja involved were forced to track them for many rotations and then endure a battle unlike any other, just to bring a single grown adult to the ground. As agile and ferocious as the _kainde amedha_ , yet possessing a level of cunning and intellect to rival our _ooman_ prey Their fight did not lessen until the very moment their skulls were ripped from their corpses. Elusive and powerful; truly a worthy battle."

Thwei'ja watched Warkha's mandibles tick together in fascination as he watched the young Avian working with Ikthya'de to repair a small breach in the hull of the shuttle. The look on Warkha's face was one of a Yautja itching to get into the fray of the Hunt. A bemused and somewhat anticipative chuckle rose from the white Yautja's throat, "Such a struggle like that is one I have ever only imagined."

He turned to Warkha, eying him expectantly, "And your sire has certainly earned a name for himself as one of the few remaining Yautja in existence to have fought them personally."

Thwei'ja rumbled softly in the back of his throat, "Sechinde is secretive," he said in mention of the Yautja responsible for siring him, "When I was still but a pup, I caught sight of the trophy in his ship just one time. I will admit that I too was fascinated by this seemingly _ooman_ trophy with teeth like ours."

"You were already chosen to train with him, then?"

"I was among a collection of candidates he had been observing. It so happened he was impressed with my abilities. Nothing more."

Warkha scowled as he realized Thwei'ja was very skillfully attempting to steer the conversation in a different direction. He huffed drily, "I see no point in protecting the Avian, Thwei'ja. She is fair game."

"She is an uncoordinated, weak youngling. Think of your honor, Warkha." Thwei'ja admonished, "She will provide no challenge now, if ever at all."

"I do not quite believe that." Warkha said, refocusing his stare on the Avian, "Just as I do not believe she is the 'Endling' you claim she is."

"And your reasoning?"

"With a youngling like her in existence, surely there must be a sire or bearer somewhere. Perhaps even other younglings. I do not believe at all she is the last one. However, I do believe that she one day could be."

Thwei'ja sighed, shaking his head. Warkha's rationality chose the weirdest moments to show itself. Now, it showed up in the middle of a rooting desire to Hunt. At least he acknowledged the possibility, so that was something. He'd known the white Yautja a long time, had Hunted with him several times. He was fully aware of the male's tendencies to become a little tunnel-visioned on goals. Such fascinations had almost gotten him killed multiple times. However, over the years, Warkha had clearly learned how to grasp what his limits were and how to regulate his obsessions. It was due to such obsessions, after all, that he'd become such a powerful Hunter in the _Sev'kai_ , despite actually hailing from the _Ki'vai_. He seemed more comfortable with the middle sect of the Triad than with his own birth Clan. There was no doubt; Warkha was a powerful Hunter, despite his glaring setback as an albino. And even though, to this day, he was still somewhat shunned for his abnormal pigmentation, it clearly hadn't slowed him down much at all. If anything, it gained him momentum. However, to Thwei'ja, it seemed as if his old comrade had been growing rather restless of late and this concerned him greatly.

Now, he'd set his sights on Luar'ka and Thwei'ja felt a twinge of apprehension at this. He wasn't initially sure why. He cared nothing for the Avian, but the fact that she was still a youngling was a problem, as well as the fact that her species was so heavily endangered, _and_ clearly of interest to the Matriarch. Sechinde and Ki'vei-ta both appeared interested in attempting to salvage the Avian species to once again become prime Hunting targets of the Yautja, as they once were. And Sechinde was even old enough to remember the twilight of those days.

"Warkha, if you Hunt that creature now, you will be defying the Matriarch of the _Sev'kai_." he warned, turning to face him with his lower mandibles hanging slack, "For whatever reason, she has declared the Avian be permitted to stay within the ranks of the Clan. No matter how loose it is, the Avian now has their protection. You can not Hunt her."

Warkha turned slightly, his bright green eyes leering mischievously, "Who said anything about Hunting, old friend?" he asked, "I merely wish to experience a battle. I want to see what she can do. I am aware I am forbidden to take her as a trophy. While it is quite a shame, I can accept it. But I see no harm in testing her mettle, do you?"

Thwei'ja regarded him seriously, his tusks now tucked so close against his face that his mouth was almost invisible. He sighed, the sound rattling up from deep in his throat as he turned his head to watch the young female as she untangled a jumble of greasy cables while Ikthya'de reconnected them inside the work hatch. Like any good young Hunter, she quickly realized she was being watched and looked up, halting in her activity as she met his stare head on. Thwei'ja leered dangerously at her, his tusks flaring. Her feathers fluffed out and she wisely averted her gaze. Casting one quick, nervous glance at Warkha, she returned to her task, turning her back to them.

"I see no harm in that, no." Thwei'ja finally replied to Warkha, "However, I ask that you wait until we have returned to the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_ to challenge her."

"Agreed. Though I do wish to speak to her before then."

"Permission granted."

Thwei'ja called an end to the conversation and moved back to his ship, nodding his greeting to the brothers working outside of it as he entered. Warkha moved to follow him, his eyes locking on the young Avian. However, the second her feathers erupted outward from her head, he knew she'd seen him coming. He expected her to dart off like any typical prey as he continued to draw nearer to her. In fact, he half hoped she would. It would give him an excuse to pursue her and see her speed in action. He'd heard of it, but he'd never seen it himself. He was forbidden from hurting her, of course, but unnerving her should be fine; she was technically prey after all.

He was caught by surprise when she stood up suddenly, extending her wings and lashing her tail as she turned to face him. Standing at her full height placed her just at the base of his ribcage. Hardly an intimidating height. Even Blooded youngsters stood taller than she did, and they often had multitudes of growth spurts to deal with before reaching an average height. However, the way her eyes bore into him as he approached, her teeth clamped together as if she were resisting the urge to unclench them and snarl at him. He had to admit, he was surprised by her utter lack of general fear. Yes, it was definitely present in her features, but it was so overpowered by sheer anger and apprehension that he almost couldn't sense it.

Warkha held back an anticipative shudder. Oh, he was most definitely going to look forward to fighting _her_.

The Yautja working beside her grumbled deeply and stood up, but Warkha ignored him. He focused again on the Avian, noting how she met his gaze rather than averting her eyes. It was like she was daring him to attack her. He choked back the impulse to strike, remembering his better, more controlled self as a Yautja close in status to an Elder.

" _Luar-ke Lar'ja_." he said in greeting, "It has been nearly a whole season, but you have grown considerably."

"As to be expected." she said stiffly, "Is there something I can do for you, honorable Arbitrator?"

He had to admit, he found her grounding impressive. She was still exuding fear of him, but for someone as young as she was, she had it pretty well under control.

"Not as yet." he replied, "I had hoped to run across you following the battle with the Sert'truuc. I had presumed you were dead following our meeting on _Illmianyar_."

"I hardly think of that as a meeting, Arbitrator. You performed your function well and apprehended a Bad Blood. It so happened to align with my own goal of self-preservation. Why would you assume my death?"

He resisted the urge to smirk as she realized she walked right into his bait, laid down for the sole purpose of initiating further conversation from her. He turned fully, facing her, "You are a creature of prey to the Yautja. I had assumed you had been long since Hunted or perhaps consumed. Yet here you stand, alive and well. Quite impressive."

"Until now, I have been sequestered within the healing ward and the _kehrite_. Hardly impressive. I shall soon prove my worth and my honor, so hold your condescending until then, if you do not mind."

Warkha chuckled bemusedly, "You misunderstand; I do not intend to speak down to you. I am certain you understand my position. This is most unusual."

He watched as her feathers relaxed, folding back down against her head. Her wings followed suit, sagging against her back and melding with the feathers reaching her shoulders, resembling a mane of feathers flowing down her back. She fixed him with a savage glare, her eyes narrowed and the pupils dilated, "If you have any concerns, I suggest you take them up with Elder Sechinde. Perhaps you are willing to fight for your opinions, Arbitrator. A simple communicator like myself is hardly worthy of your interest or attention."

With that, she turned and stalked back into the ship. Warkha tried to piece together where that conversation had taken such a weird turn. He hadn't expected her to stalk off like that.

He glanced at the Yautja finishing his repairs on the hull of the ship. He looked up from his task and leered suspiciously at the Arbitrator, standing up and moving into the ship on his own volition. Warkha turned and headed back to his own ship, feeling less than satisfied. He had hoped to speak a little further with the Avian. However, as luck would have it, he had more important things to take care of. As he'd been involved in that battle with the Sert'truuc, he would have to present himself down on _Illmianyar_ with Thwei'ja and his pack to confirm the death of the enemy. Perhaps another opportunity would present itself.

As he sealed himself back inside his ship where the majority of his current life was spent, he made his way to the cockpit and punched in the landing coordinates for the planet. He'd just have to bide his time with this one. He could wait.

/ooo/

Luar'ka hadn't set foot on solid ground in a whole season. She'd almost forgotten what dirt and grass felt like. As a creature of the sky (or at least according to her biology) she found herself craving open air and sunshine. The air aboard the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_ was always hot and dry and had dried out her nasal passages, causing several nosebleeds for her in the past several weeks. _That_ had been an interesting visit to the healing ward, trying to explain all the blood to Than'ja while stressing that she _hadn't_ been in a fight. He couldn't understand the reason behind the spontaneous bleeding. That had been the final push she needed to go willingly to the baths where the damp air enabled her cracked and broken thinner skin to heal. She looked forward to moister air and wind, especially.

But she mostly looked forward to seeing S'iirai again. She wondered if the girl would even recognize her. It had been almost a whole season and they'd only known one another for a day. Luar'ka knew she'd changed drastically since then. Gone was her soft, fluffy baby down and her minute wingspan. She now had the wing size with which to glide if she ever learned how. She unfolded her wings and stretched, feeling her spine crick with the movement.

She was sitting on her bedding mat, sorting through her meager belongings when the ship began to rattle and shake tremendously. This time though, she knew better than to panic. She understood now that this was a perfectly normal side effect of entering a planet's atmosphere. It was one of Than'ja's many lessons during her stay with him and the other healers. She looked up out through the viewing portal. The view outside had turned bright orange and fiery as they broke through the atmosphere. It wouldn't be very long now before she and her Yautjan brothers arrived. Then, her new assignment would officially start. She just hoped she could live up to the standards Sechinde had set for her. Cantankerous and eccentric as he appeared to be, she knew she had to trust his judgment. He didn't get to be the advanced age he was without learning much about the universe around him and bettering himself with such knowledge. Hopefully, this wisdom would help serve her new task.

She leaned against the wall, staring outside as the surface of the planet drew nearer and nearer. It resembled _N'-ithya_ greatly, but she'd noticed that she'd begun forgetting key points about her home world after so long away from it. She supposed _Illmianyar_ was as close as she was going to get until she actually returned to _N'-ithya_.

She looked out the window and saw as they approached the coastline, coming in fast. This time, the Illmorein were expecting their arrival, so they didn't bother to hide themselves. She spotted the many colorful and elaborate tents, varying in size and shape set up all along the edge of the sea. The Illmorein were nomadic, but it seemed they enjoyed this particular location. The ship swung around sharply as the engines flared, slowing its progress. It fell into a slow, hovering descent, swooping gracefully down to land surprisingly gently on the surface of the planet. Luar'ka felt the shudder that ran through the frame of the ship when contact was made. Her wings twitched and she reached around to grab her shoulder plates, fumbling with the ties as she strapped them to her arms. She swept her feathers out of her face, steeling her gaze as she strode toward the door. She tucked her wings back, holding them slightly loose, but high enough to appear as the regal Avian she was.

"Here we go." she said to herself.

She found Thwei'ja and the rest of the pack in the armory adjacent to the ramp leading down out of the ship. The mist from their artificial atmosphere hung heavier than normal as air from _Illmianyar_ filtered in and mixed with it, creating a strange new blend. The Yautja in the room were already donning their bio-masks and she heard Ikthya'de take a few deep breaths a few feet away to acclimate himself to the different mixture ratio created by his gear. The Yautja were capable of breathing various forms of atmosphere with little visible discomfort, but it was clear they didn't like it. They would grudgingly remove their masks in the company of their allies, but until then, they kept them on. Luar'ka never found herself bothered by the shift in air wherever she went. The atmosphere aboard the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_ never seemed to make her uncomfortable. Perhaps it was like Than'ja said; her lungs were simply more resilient than theirs by design. The air sacs she employed filtered the most oxygen into her blood stream for each and every breath she took, both on inhaling and exhaling. She was starting to truly appreciate it.

Thwei'ja snapped around to her, "Come _._ " he growled.

All four Yautja funneled out of the ship this time. Luar'ka followed suit, this time without skidding on the slippery metal ramp. Her feet were long since accustomed to their metals.

She squinted and grunted in discomfort at the sudden flash of sunlight in her face. Instantly, the gentle rush of the breeze caressed her face and she couldn't suppress the happy sigh that left her. It was like being greeted by an old and dear friend. She smiled in spite of herself and opened her eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun seep into her feathers. Her wings unfolded of their own accord, as if drinking in the sun's energy.

She joined her pack at the base of the ramp where they stood, edgy but silent as they stared at three approaching figures coming toward them. Luar'ka recognized them from her memories of S'iirai and from the transmission. Three tall, elegant, lithe humanoid figures with flowing manes of brightly colored tendrils of varying shade and length, delicate feet and gleaming, sparkling black eyes which mirrored the deepest depths of space.

The Illmorein.

One of them, an older female with vivid chartreuse colored tendrils and stark white skin, stepped forward and bowed respectfully, "Greetings, _Yaanya_." she said, her voice soft, "And welcome to _Illmianyar_."

Luar'ka studied the Illmorein sent to greet them. None were any she recognized from the transmission. All seemed somewhat older, at least, more so than S'iirai was. Each of them had their tendrils bunched up into thick braids behind them, unmoving. Luar'ka recalled that S'iirai was able to read her thoughts. She wondered if this 'style' had something to do with it.

Thwei'ja stepped forward, bowing his head toward them. His posture was stiff and rigid; clearly, this was _not_ a custom he was comfortable with and Luar'ka understood why. Bowing the head for any reason other than sadness or despair was a sign of submission. And short of the death of a close comrade or brother, the Yautja had little to despair over, thus this type of act was rarely performed by any sane Yautja male who valued his rank and status. Luar'ka found herself impressed that Thwei'ja would show such deep respect by following the Illmorein code of respect. He clicked deeply a few times, slowly, as if trying to commune his meaning for them to understand.

Luar'ka took that as her cue and stepped forward in front of her brothers, back straight, eyes forward as she greeted the Illmorein, "Your greeting is appreciated," she improvised since that wasn't what Thwei'ja had said. However, the instinctive need to be respectful took over and she translated correctly from there, " ' We would prefer to begin communications promptly. There is much to discuss regarding the present matter.' "

The elder Illmorein regarded Luar'ka silently for a moment and then turned to her companions, "Does this one look like a _Yaanya_ to you?"

"I'm not sure. Come to think of it, I have never laid eyes on a female of their species before. Perhaps this is a young one?"

"But since when did the _Yaanya_ have feathers? This simply cannot be a female of their kind. It must be some sort of creature they found."

"But what kind? I have never seen anything like it."

Luar'ka sagged a bit in dismay and confusion as she watched them.

"But she is so much smaller than the _Yaanya_ usually are. I knew they were sending a communicator, but I was expecting...well, not _this_ , I suppose."

"I can understand everything you are saying." Luar'ka grumbled. The Illmorein instantly refocused their attention on her, "Oh, yes. Forgive us," the chartreuse one said bemusedly, "My name is Kivakei. I am the communications specialist here. Are you...Liu...Liur...Louurkhya?"

Luar'ka wasn't sure what to make of this. It didn't seem the Illmorein were able to pronounce 'Yautja', calling them _Yaanya_ instead. Now they didn't appear able to pronounce her name either.

"Uh." she muttered, thoroughly befuddled.

"Liiurca."

"Uh...no."

"Well, you _are_ the communicator so we have to call you something."

Luar'ka fidgeted slightly, feeling the irritation levels of the pack rising behind her. She could practically feel Thwei'ja's eyes boring holes in the back of her head. Already she was showing poor signs of being a good correspondent. She couldn't even keep the Illmorein on task as they quietly discussed what _name_ she should have! She was screaming inside in frustration.

"All right, then. How about Khiinya? How does that sound?"

It sounded absolutely _nothing_ like her name. Luar'ka's wings sagged, her confidence from before having completely drained away. This was a feat an entire year under R'zha's brutal tutelage hadn't even managed to accomplish. The Illmorein were truly formidable in their own, weird way.

"Khiinya is fine." she mumbled, defeated. How many names had she had now in the past year of her life? Three? Four? She'd already lost track.

Kivakei smiled and tapped her right foot on the ground, "Excellent! Now, if you all will come with us, we can get introductions out of the way and get started with the meeting."

 _Introductions?!_ Luar'ka slapped a hand over her eyes and groaned. Her brothers moved stiffly past her and Than'ja lagged behind, staring down at her through his mask. He thumped her on the back with his hand, knocking her back to reality. She looked up at him in dismay, ((Than'ja, these are the weirdest creatures I have ever had to deal with.)) she hissed.

A short trill escaped him, thankfully, one of amusement, ((Yes, they are quite bizarre, Luar'ka. However, despite their... _oddities_ , they have proven themselves time and again as capable sources of information. We tolerate them for this purpose.))

((But for this?)) she pressed.

((Our customs are, as I understand it, far too violent for them to handle. While in their company, we do our best to suppress them for the time being.))

He moved past her, following the Illmorein and the rest of the pack. Luar'ka followed after him. She had to keep it together. The brothers in the pack likely would give her a little more leeway, but Thwei'ja was another story. One wrong step around him and if he didn't kill her himself, she knew that another Yautja would be more than happy to take the job.

As she gained distance and matched pace with them, she watched as the chartreuse Illmorein turned her head to look back at her, "So, Khiinya," she said, already making use of the name forced on her, "You do not look much like the _Yaanya_ at all. What are you?"

"I was born an Avian. I live as Yautja." Luar'ka answered stiffly.

"I have never heard of your race. Are you from far away?"

"We are extinct. I am the only one alive." Luar'ka admitted, doing her best to hide the quiver in her voice when she said that. To hear it from others was one thing, but to actually admit it was a whole other battle. Kivakei's expression faltered, "Oh...I am so sorry."

"Never mind," she replied, determined to bring the conversation back on track, "Where are we to hold the discussion?"

"In the pavilion. It is peaceful and secluded. It's quite calming in there."

Luar'ka had no idea what a pavilion was. She just hoped that whatever it was, it was a place where communication wouldn't be constantly undermined by petty interests and inquiries.

"A pavilion is a gathering place for our people. We hold our celebrations and meetings there, and I have to say, while I've rarely been there, the one in which the _S'iianti_ lives has the most delicious food growing there."

Luar'ka threw her a look of utter bafflement and one of the other Illmorein nudged her companion, "Kivakei, you've allowed your tendrils to come undone. Didn't you notice?" she whispered fervently.

Kivakei gasped and hurriedly twisted her tendrils back into their former braid, "I had not even felt it! My apologies, Khiinya, I didn't mean to peruse your thoughts so carelessly."

Luar'ka heard one of her brothers grumble behind her, no doubt thankful that _her_ thoughts had been picked up rather than those of the Yautja. No doubt a trip into one of _their_ minds would turn any sane Illmorein into a terrified, gibbering wreck.

Luar'ka studied the terrain upon which they walked. It was a narrow road of sorts, leading across the sparsely populated field covered in thick, soft grasses. Luar'ka noticed that the Illmorein's narrow feet barely trampled a single blade as they walked, making nary a sound in the process. Her own three-toed feet supported her weight on the soft soil, which she could feel tugging on her with every step. Even the Yautja were forced to watch their steps here, lest they stumble in the abnormally soft and fertile ground. It was truly a strange experience. As they cleared the rise of a hill, the dark violet colored Illmorein to the left turned and beamed with closed lips at Luar'ka, "Come up here, Khiinya. I'm sure you haven't seen a sight like this, before." she said.

Luar'ka pushed her steps closer to the Illmorein as she arrived at the top of the hill. Her eyes widened at the sight down at the very base of the slope. A multitude of enormous, brightly colored tents decorated the land on the shores of a sparkling sea. She could see that the tents were supported by great central posts and, with no visible windows, provided entry through cavernous gaps in between the folds of the draping material. However, Luar'ka's sensitive eyes found themselves somewhat put off by the incredibly odd choice of coloring the Illmorein seemed to favor. No color truly complimented another; they seemed to be chosen at random, or else by how brightly one color shown out next to another one. The only word that came to Luar'ka's mind as she gazed upon the mass assortment of tents was 'gaudy'.

"Your home?" she ventured.

"One of them. Our principle city is quite far off. This is one of our larger settlements. Since _Illmianyar_ has been entirely destroyed, our people live happily here, now. Thus, our capitol is the only settlement whose location does not change."

"I see. Those tents are...beautiful. But they look rather drafty."

The female to her left eyed her in confusion, "You are concerned for the air passage?" she asked, clearly not grasping the concept.

"The temperature in the pavilions can be regulated at will," Kivakei explained, " You need not worry, we have been preparing for your arrival. To keep our guests comfortable, we have kept the entrance to our chosen gathering place closed for several days, allowing warm air to continue to circulate. It is now quite warm in there."

So they knew and understood the Yautja's need for hot temperatures in order to thrive best. Luar'ka had to admit, she was impressed. It did make her wonder, though, exactly how long this bizarre alliance had gone on for. But there were some questions she knew better than to ask and she wisely kept her mouth shut.

Thwei'ja let out a series of low clicks, growls and trills, earning the attention of the confused Illmorein. They glanced at once another in clear discomfort, unable to understand what he'd said. Luar'ka cleared her throat, earning their attention, " ' The conditions will serve well for the meeting, but we shall return to our ship upon reaching its conclusion.' " she translated.

"Oh, I see." Kivakei said with a gracious nod, "Very well, then. Well, continue to follow us, if you please."

It was clear the Yautja were more comfortable in both their natural climate and air found within the secured confines of their ships.

It appeared that they'd arrived during the tail end of some sort of festival. Luar'ka noted that while many Illmorein they approached or passed on their way to one of the pavilions was dressed normally, a few stood out. Gaily bedecked in costumes as colorful as they were absurd, Luar'ka found it hard not to stare. Here stood an Illmorein dressed in an elaborate bird costume, complete with wings and a feathered headdress with plumage running down his back. There stood a female Illmorein wearing some sort of guady gown covered in flowers and beads. The whole spectacle was as enchanting as it was ridiculous. The Illmorein who weren't in costume wore simple yet elegant garb that flowed across the curves of their bodies as if they were simply extensions of their own flesh. The natural clothing consisted of shades of whites, browns and blacks. Some garments had ruffled edges attached to billowing sleeves or hems, while some maintained a seamless, flowing wave clear through, with no sign of a wrinkle or fold to be seen.

Every Illmorein that noticed them immediately shrank back and gave them space. Many nodded in greeting to them, while others, likely not as familiar, went pale and darted out of sight. Luar'ka could sense her brothers' tension as the scents of fear wafted into range. Usually, a creature fleeing before them triggered an almost instinctive response to pursue. But by sheer strength of will, they held back their natural aggressive urges, continuing down the pathway silently and calmly.

"Here we are." One of their guides said, "Please wait inside. _S'iianti_ U'lla will arrive in a few moments."

They had reached one of the enormous tents and Luar'ka could now see that the material comprising them was actually solid, not so much fabric. It was covered in small pores that filtered air through them. She wondered if perhaps, like the ships, these tents' internal temperature could be regulated like Kivakei said, even to the same minute degree as the ships.

Their guides left them then and, with rather obvious reluctance, the Yautja entered the tent to wait. Luar'ka followed them, aware of the stares of the other Illmorein in the area as she did so.

The inside of the tent was spacious and warm, covered in soft grass all along the floor. Sparse furniture was set about the area from a few ornate rugs to small, elegantly carved wooden chairs. Luar'ka could see that there were many twisting, fluffy shrubs and bushes growing in carefully designed patterns all around the interior of the pavilion. Some were covered in colorful flowers and berries Luar'ka had never seen before, while others were bare and rather plain. It was clear that this was someone's home, which doubled as a meeting place. In the back of the tent, Luar'ka could see what appeared to be some sort of elevated sleeping mat strung to the rafters of the pavilion. There were a few such platforms hanging along the edges of the tent.

((It never gets easier, _Mei'hswei_.))

Luar'ka turned at Ikthya'de's voice as he spoke with Than'ja. The elder brother sighed and shook his head, ((I am aware, but we must keep up the pretense. It is a long shot, but the Illmorein may know what happened to that shuttle. If they do, we must speak with them about it.))

Luar'ka strode forward and stood beside them, ((What am I to do?)) she asked.

Thwei'ja turned to her instead where he had been standing silently, staring off into space, ((Translate our words to them. Nothing more.)) he growled, ((And keep them on focus as best you can.))

Luar'ka blanched and immediately looked away guiltily, ((Forgive me for my lapse in attention, Thwei'ja. I did my best.))

Their leader let out a low, frustrated rumble, ((For once, you are not at fault, Endling,)) he snarled, ((The Illmorein often stray from the topic of discussion for one reason or another.))

((I...I see.)) Luar'ka answered, relieved she wasn't in trouble...for the moment.. Honestly, it felt a little weird knowing Thwei'ja wasn't mad at _her_ for a change. She had to admit, this whole situation felt weird. Maybe it was the duration of extended time she'd spent with the Yautja. She wasn't sure. She felt out of place in this serene, sublime environment. She was again struck by how odd it was for such a violent race as the Yautja to have such peaceful allies. Than'ja had presented her with more documentation of their shared history, somewhat brief in the grand scheme of things since the Yautja were by far the older race. Their history dated back at least fifty-thousand years. Apparently, until the dawn of space travel, no records of Yautjan history were kept. Then, stories, myths, facts, records and various literary what-not were gathered, sorted, and stored away for future usage. Everything before then was shrouded in mystery. Therefore, their true origins were as yet unknown. However, their history with the Illmorein was just as mysterious. Luar'ka now understood what S'iirai had spoken of with the Yautja taking slave races of worthy species. However, the odd peacekeepers were simply too weak in body and spirit to be workers. They were also too peaceful and, again, too weak to be prey. The Yautja had little other use for them. Even so, thanks to their telepathy, they were well-informed on goings-on within the universe and this gave them an edge. The concern came about from their need, much like the Yautja, to protect their own secrets as well. Luar'ka knew she'd have to tread carefully and pay attention, or else she'd be completely lost. Forget Thwei'ja; if Sechinde decided she wasn't worth keeping then she had no hope whatsoever. She just counted herself lucky that Sechinde seemed to be somewhat fascinated by her.

She sensed and heard one of the others approaching her and turned as Kar'kha stood behind her, staring down at her. He'd removed his mask, taking shallow, even breaths to acclimate to the gentler atmosphere of the flora-rich planet.

((Are you well?)) he asked. Luar'ka fluffed her feathers briefly before settling, ((Yes...Um, Kar'kha? Is...never mind. It is of no consequence.))

Kar'kha chuffed once, his eyes falling half-mast in amused annoyance, ((You require much more practice, Avian.)) he said, sitting down cross-legged on the grass with a sigh. He reached around to hang his mask from a holster on his right shoulder plates.

((And what does that mean?))

((To be nervous or anticipative before a battle or Hunt, especially on the first Hunt, is not dishonorable, Luar'ka.)) Kar'kha said, glancing at her. His mandibles twitched upward slightly, as if he found her edginess amusing, ((What is dishonorable is allowing it to take over your state of mind and become hindered by it. That is when trepidation becomes frowned upon.))

Luar'ka sighed, ((Is it so obvious?))

((Quite. The scent of your fear has saturated the pavilion.)) Kar'kha said drily. Luar'ka threw him an irritated glare and folded her legs as she sat down, ((My mission is absurdly simple; translate what you all say to the Illmorein so that we may conduct our business and be on our way back to the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_. Compared to what R'zha put me through, this is nothing.))

((That was training. This is an actual mission. It is different.))

((Not so different that I could not handle it.))

((I did not say that.))

((Oh, so you think I _can_?))  
Kar'kha rumbled low, deep in his throat, reaching out to lightly grasp her head. Luar'ka watched him quietly, curious to his reaction. His grip clamped down suddenly, digging his claws into her scalp. Luar'ka squeaked in pain, flailing angrily to get out of his iron grip, ((Let go! Let go! Let go! Ow!)) she yelled, ((All right, no more! I yield!))

Kar'ka released her with a satisfied rumble, his upper mandibles torquing outward in a pleased grin, ((Good.))

Luar'ka hissed at him, contemplating whether or not she had enough time to tackle him and try to get in a few good hits. She ultimately decided against it for the sake of keeping her feathers straight. Ruffling her wings and extending them out slightly, she stood up and sighed, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Her feathers twitched as she picked up the sound of footsteps approaching the tent. The flap opened up, allowing sunlight to stream in as six individuals stepped inside. The Yautja all turned to eye them as they approached and the tent flap was lowered again, trapping the warm air inside. This was the first time Luar'ka had seen a male Illmorein; they looked very much like the females. Their faces were sharper and less narrow and their tendrils were much thinner and straighter than the thicker, almost curly tendrils the females possessed. They were also larger than the females by a few inches, but those key differences were where Luar'ka could see it ended. She was too far away to glean more information. A few of the Illmorein looked uncomfortable at the heavy, warm air they'd allowed to develop inside this particular pavilion and one of them eyed the greenery around them with a worried look on his face.

A tall female approached them, her long, blue tinged tendrils braided in a loose twist that hung clear down to her calves. Her face appeared older, being much narrower, with matching ovalular eyes. She wore a deep blue gemstone in the shape of a six-pointed star about her neck. She nodded once, "Thank you for coming, _Yaanya_. I am U'lla."

Luar'ka looked to Thwei'ja as he grumbled and clicked out a reply of greeting, nodding to her as he did so. She stepped forward, extending her wings in her own greeting before translating his words to her, " 'I am Thwei'ja, the leader of this scouting pack sent by the Matriarch of the _Sev'kai_. The ... _feathered one_ before you will communicate on our behalf.' " she said, stumbling a bit on his description of her. It took all her willpower not to turn and glare at him for the stupid nickname.

U'lla eyed her curiously and nodded assent, turning to introduce her comrades, "These are members of the high council we are developing on the Ancestors' insistence. I have brought them along in order to greet you in person. I'm fairly certain you know one of them already."

A young female stepped forward and Luar'ka fought to suppress a grin at the sight of S'iirai.

"I am personally familiar with S'iirai, yes." Luar'ka agreed, "It is good to once again make your acquaintance." she said with a bow. S'iirai returned it, smiling at her briefly before continuing, "Thank you, Avian. Though I myself am still in training, I will do my best to communicate thoroughly and respectfully."

In the end, Luar'ka found her misgivings more or less misplaced. Thwei'ja spoke clearly and meaningfully so she stumbled little over his words and he paused frequently to make certain she was keeping up. She was sure it was more for the Illmorein's benefit than for her own, since it was vital they understand what was going on, but she was grateful for it nonetheless. In return, she spoke clearly and fluidly for them and then successfully enunciated the complex Yautjan tongue, taking full advantage of her odd vocal cords to create the clicks, trills, and growls that made up the majority of their language.

" ' The transmitter aboard the missing shuttle was likely damaged during its theft. We are combing this sector of the system in search of it. It _must_ be found, at all costs.' " Luar'ka translated.

U'lla frowned, brushing a strand of her mane back behind one of her ears, "We have heard you mention this shuttle before. Your Matriarch issued a wide-signal broadcast both to your own people and to us in the process about it, but there was little information to go by. I need to know more. What was on this shuttle that makes it so valuable?"

Luar'ka turned as Thwei'ja weighed his response, clicking something off to Than'ja that she didn't catch. The dark green Yautja shook his head, tapping his tusks together ponderously as he appeared to respectfully disagree with Thwei'ja. Their leader turned back with a low rumble before continuing. Luar'ka faced the Illmorein again, clearing her throat, " ' I am not at liberty to say precisely what is aboard the ship. Chances are that rumors may soon float down to you, but pay them no mind. All that matters is the shuttle's location.' "

U'lla's eyes narrowed, growing stormy, "I cannot say I appreciate this type of response, _Yaanya_. We are supposed to be your allies, your informers. While it's not a situation the Ancestors are comfortable with, they approve of it for the sake of the people. I personally see a lot of potential in our future dealings, to say nothing of your interest in the Sert'truuc. While some Illmorein may disagree with me, a certain young male crossing my mind—" she said with a pointed glance back toward S'iirai. The female Illmorein's mouth was set in a thin line, her eyes narrowed warningly. U'lla closed her eyes and turned away, " The fact of the matter is that your own interests ultimately benefit us and we reward those interests with desired information. But information must be given for information received. Am I clear enough?"

It wasn't a suggestion or simple inquiry, but Luar'ka did her best to translate as much of what little respect she got as she could. Thwei'ja's spines bristled at her words, which he clearly already understood to some degree, but he kept himself in check, clenching his mandibles tightly against his face, growling out his reply. Luar'ka gulped and whirled around, " ' You make a fair point, Illmorein, but I must acquire permission from the Matriarch and from the Clan council in order to disclose this information. Are you willing to wait a short while? ' "

U'lla nodded, which was all the reply Thwei'ja needed. He whirled and stamped out of the pavilion, no doubt to contact Sechinde. Luar'ka watched him go with mild trepidation. She jumped and turned abruptly as U'lla approached her, eying her carefully. It was almost as if she were studying some rare new insect she wanted to identify.

"I have never seen a creature such as yourself," she said, her voice low and silky, "What are you?"

Luar'ka heard her brothers' clicking behind her, strengthening her resolve whether they knew it or not. Her back straightened, tucking her wings behind her tightly, "I am Avian, _S'iianti_ U'lla," she said with a bow.

"Are you related to the _Yaanya_ in any way?"

"Only through false ties. I was found a season ago by this pack behind me." she said, gesturing to the males standing several feet away. They looked up as they were addressed, but said nothing. Ikthya'de tossed his head with a low snort, turning away from the conversation, while Than'ja met U'lla's stare head on. The older female Illmorein eventually broke eye contact first and refocused her gaze on Luar'ka, "Where are the rest of your people?" she asked.

"I do not know. Many Yautja believe I am all that is left."

"I see. You possess a versatile mouth like ours, capable of learning many tongues, and your memory appears to be useful toward such lingual purposes. So other than communication benefits, why do they keep you? Surely simply making conversing with us easier on themselves can't be the only reason." she asked, tilting her head speculatively.

"I...am not sure of the reason. If there is more of a reason for keeping me, they have not told me of it, yet."

"Well," U'lla said, "While we await your leader's return, if you and your companions are hungry, you may browse through the pavilion and see if anything appeals to you. Various species of fruiting plants grow here and I have heard that the _Yaanya_ are occasionally partial to fruit."

She glanced at the Yautja idling a short ways away. They had heard her, but refused to move. They simply watched her warily. Even Ikthya'de, the one most likely to consider her offer, remained rooted in place. U'lla and the other Illmorein expressed fairly obvious confusion at their standoffish behavior, but Luar'ka suspected she knew the reason. She turned back to the _S'iianti_ , bowing gracefully and thanking her before she and the others stepped outside. Then, she hurried over to her brothers as the Illmorein moved out of earshot, save for one. S'iirai lingered, watching them carefully a moment before wandering over of her own volition. She drew near enough to hear the low clicks and growls Luar'ka exchanged with her brothers as she spoke quietly with them. If she were being honest, S'iirai had to admit she rather liked the sounds they made. In casual conversation, there was something oddly relaxing about the low rumbling sounds that comprised the Yautjan language. Of course, she knew what their full range sounded like and understood better than most how unsettling and eerie their language could be when speaking at full volume. And she gave Luar'ka credit for being able to understand the various nuances and inflections in their complex and tonal dialogue. S'iirai herself knew only about five words in their language and she had no hope of pronouncing them correctly. However, she felt she had to at least try.

"Uh...," she said, earning their attention, " _G...G'kaun-yte_." she said shakily. The Yautja eyed her curiously, saying nothing, but nodding to her in greeting. Luar'ka stepped forward and smiled with her mouth closed, "Greetings," she replied.

"Okay, can we drop the formalities, now?" S'iirai asked somewhat sheepishly. Luar'ka grinned, revealing her newly erupted sharp teeth and charged forward, jumping up toward S'iirai and tackling her in a hug, "I was wondering when you would ask!" she yelled.

"It's been a whole year, now! How are you?" the Illmorein exclaimed, letting go of her friend and stepping back, "You've gotten bigger."

"Of course I have. I am only a youngling as yet." Luar'ka said somewhat stiffly. S'iirai raised an eyebrow in bewilderment, "You sound odd, now. You don't use conjunctions anymore." she pointed out.

"Huh? Oh. Well, I would imagine it is because the Yautja do not use them. I suppose I fell out of habit."

"You certainly have. You sound entirely different now."

"It is not hard to imagine why. I rarely speak anything other than Yautjan, these days." the Avian female said with a shrug, "It makes conversing easier."

S'iirai looked up to the male Yautja still standing off to the side, waiting patiently for Thwei'ja to return, "So those are your pack members, correct? I recall meeting them last year."

"Yes. I think of them as my brothers and refer to them as such."

"U'lla granted them permission to move about. Why don't they?" S'iirai asked, frowning at her friend, "If you ask me, they almost appear...nervous."

"Probably because they are, but not for the reason you would think." Luar'ka explained as she moved along the walls of the pavilion, examining the bushes, " _Ch'hkt-a._ The scent of fear is making them anxious. Under such sensory effects, they would normally prepare to Hunt, as the scent of fear usually betrays prey. However, this is not the case here and they are now fighting their natural impulses. Hence, the way they are acting now."

S'iirai hummed, "I see. I can understand that; many of the Illmorein are still wary of them. Their very presence, at least according to Mi'vue, is Ko-Illmorein, entirely against what we stand for and what we are, or so they tell me."

"You agree with that?"

"Not entirely. I was born and raised in space with scouts who spent most of their lives away, seeking out a new home following the destruction of our old home. I've only been with the common settlement for a short while and I'm still adjusting."

Luar'ka sighed, "Just like me, it seems. What is this?" she asked, pulling a branch down with a bright yellow, oblong fruit. S'iirai smiled and plucked it from the branch, "This is a fruit acquired in trade from our human contacts. They call it a lemon. It's pretty good; very sour, though. Take a few."

Luar'ka picked three and examined one. They were some of the strangest fruits she'd ever seen, but they smelled delectable. She felt her mouth water at the tantalizing scent. She shrugged, "Well, I will see if at least one of them can be tempted." she said with a light chuckle. S'iirai's expression changed to one of apprehension and she blinked a few times in surprise. Before she could stop her, Luar'ka moved across the grassy floor of the pavilion to where her brothers still stood silently, now not even speaking with one another. She approached Ikthya'de who lowered his head as she approached, eying her curiously. S'iirai watched as she said something to him in his native language and then handed one of the lemons up to him. His head lowered further to examine it, his long black appendages draping over his shoulders as he did. She watched as he cocked his head to the side and reached out to take the fruit, its small size even more diminutive in his enormous claws. He straightened up, holding it close to his mouth as he apparently took in its scent. Luar'ka took a fruit for herself and sliced it in half with her claws. Ikthya'de muttered something to her, still inspecting the fruit. S'iirai drew nearer as he did this, now close enough to hear a faint, high pitched trill escape him before he popped the whole fruit into his mouth, rind and all. Luar'ka did the same, biting into the half she held. Ikthya'de's mandibles closed over his mouth and S'iirai heard the faint snapping sound as he chewed the lemon. She resisted the urge to giggle when his eyes suddenly widened and he shook his head furiously, stepping backward from the force of it. He let out a muffled bellow and spat the lemon back out with a snarl, saliva pouring from his mouth as his senses were entirely overwhelmed from the sour fruit. Luar'ka had a similar reaction at the same time, shrieking shrilly in shock and her feathers fluffing out and standing straight up. The Yautja snarled viciously and took a sharp swipe at her, which she dodged handily and took off toward the other side of the pavilion, keeping a close grip on the other lemon she still held. Ikthya'de roared after her in fury, but didn't give chase, instead returning to stand with his brothers who had watched this whole spectacle with baffled intrigue.

Luar'ka returned to S'iirai, still sputtering and hissing as the tent flap flew open and two Illmorein rushed in, their faces askew in terror, "What's going on in here?" one of them exclaimed.

S'iirai sighed and shook her head toward them, "Nothing to worry about," she said as she approached them, "Luar'ka just introduced one of the Yautja to a lemon." she said through gritted teeth. The male Illmorein blinked in amazement, looked over at the Yautja, including the one shaking his head lightly and salivating heavily in between low snorts and snarls and then focused his gaze back on the young Avian standing sheepishly beside S'iirai. He shook his head in bewilderment, "You're rather demented, aren't you?" he said before turning and leaving with his companion, closing the tent door behind them. S'iirai groaned, watching Luar'ka as she continued sputtering, her mouth hanging open slightly. She shook her head, "I tried to warn you. You can't eat those raw. They're either eaten with other, milder fruits or they're juiced and then sweetened with other fruit juices."

Luar'ka sighed, her expression calming, glancing over toward Ikthya'de, "Is it harmful?"

"No. Just very, very strong. I doubt he'd ever had anything like that before."

"I will apologize later." she said glumly, "I hope he will not be _too_ angry."

S'iirai was about to reply when the tent door flew open and Thwei'ja stalked back in, ripping his mask off and torquing his mandibles angrily. Luar'ka wasn't sure if his impromptu rage was a good thing or a bad thing. She moved back over to the Yautja, avoiding Ikthya'de whose fuming gaze bored holes into her head. She could tell she was in for it later.

U'lla and the others returned to the pavilion and again addressed the Yautja, "So then, are you permitted to reveal the cargo of that missing shuttle?" she asked.

Luar'ka glanced back at Thwei'ja as he began to speak, his voice low and clearly unhappy. She gulped and faced forward, " ' Yes, I am. However, there is a vital stipulation. What is revealed must not be spread. The situation is very grave.' "

"Understood." U'lla said with a nod, "Proceed, _Yaanya_."

Luar'ka glanced over her shoulder at Thwei'ja, feeling a bead of sweat form on her brow as he spoke clearly, quietly, just loudly enough for her to hear. She turned, her face ashen, " ' The shuttle was loaded with captive Hard Meat eggs to be seeded at a chosen trial location. It was set to depart in half a season's time. The shuttle was boarded and stolen by a Yautja Bad Blood, who has now since been dealt with.' "

The Illmorein didn't appear concerned as much as curious, but U'lla's face turned grave, "I see. Continue." she said. Thwei'ja obliged and Luar'ka listened, " ' The engine of the shuttle malfunctioned and the Bad Blood ejected. The shuttle itself has been lost for over a season, now. If you have information on it, it is crucial that you reveal it.' "

"You say 'Hard Meat eggs'. Just what exactly does this mean?" U'lla asked, though her tone implied that already appeared to be aware of the ramifications of a shuttle of eggs going missing.

" ' They are living world building engines. They are capable of devouring an entire planet and its host life in a very short period. The Yautja keep many in captivity, but they are regulated carefully. Losing even one egg can be devastating to any planet.' "

"That doesn't tell me much about their physique or biology. But I will let it slide for now. What are the coordinates of the shuttle's last known location?"

Luar'ka struggled a bit with this one since numbers weren't her strong suit; " ' One hundred and seventy-nine, fifty-six, thirty-nine point four, and zero, two, and forty-six point two. This is a basic estimate. As we have lost the shuttle, we can only assume based on the direction it was going.' "

"Hmm...very well. We know nothing as of yet, but we will contact our sources for more information. However, this is quite a risky move, you realize. If humans were to hear about our connection to this shuttle and then possibly _discover_ it, they will wonder what we of the Illmorein were doing with such an unusual specimen. This could invariably lead to their discovery of our connection to you and your kind, _Yaanya_. I'm sure you understand how serious this situation is, for both of us, no less?"

"Yes." Luar'ka said without guidance.

"Good. We will send a transmission with more data the second we receive it. I thank you for your time, _Yaanya_."

 _ **Terminology**_

 _ **S'iianti-**_ ( _Shaun-tee)_ The leader or highest rank of Illmorein female council. The male prefix would be _S'iianki_

 ** _Khiinya_** \- Luar'ka's given Illmorein name. Basically means 'The odd one'.

 _ **Yaanya**_ \- The Illmorein word for Yautja, as they cannot easily pronounce it. It stands for 'fearsome one'

Sorry for the late update. I've been settling back into a routine after getting home from Washington. The book is now entirely finished at over 200,000 words. The longest thing I've ever written. I'm now starting work on the sequel. I've had a lot of favorites and follows on this story and I can't tell you how happy that makes me. I hope you continue to enjoy my work.


	22. Twenty-Two

Twenty-Two

"So what about that was exactly necessary?" Luar'ka grumbled.

"About what?" S'iirai asked.

"You _know_ what."

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Stop playing innocent; you know full well what you did."

The Illmorein started giggling, much to the chagrin of her Avian companion. Luar'ka ruffled her wings in agitation and S'iirai sighed, "Sorry, but I couldn't really help it. They don't know what the term means so I had to confuse them a little."

"Up until you met Noari, _you_ did not know what it means."

"How did you know about Noari?"

"She was in the file of your contacts on the planet that I had to go through before I came here. Not that the Yautja will speak to her, of course. Her name was mixed in with the Illmorein contacts."

"You have to admit, it was pretty entertaining."

 _"So, if you will excuse Luar'ka and myself, then?" S'iirai said to Thwei'ja as he and the pack prepared to return to the ship. Thwei'ja cocked his head as S'iirai grabbed Luar'ka and dragged her away from them. He clicked a few times curiously and Luar'ka rolled her eyes, "He wants to know what business you have with me." she translated._

 _S'iirai shrugged, "It's been an entire year since the two of us have spoken. I believe it's time for some real girl-talk."_

 _Thwei'ja's head remained tilted, for once looking more baffled than angry in regards to the Avian. He turned to Than'ja, who let out a deep rumble. Luar'ka groaned irritably; they had no idea what 'girl-talk' was. While she was on that train of thought, she wasn't too sure what it was either. She had a feeling it was either an Illmorein or human concept and this feeling nagged at her that whatever it was, she was about to find out whether she liked it or not. S'iirai proceeded to drag her smaller friend out of the tent, "I promise to bring her back before sundown!" she called._

 _Luar'ka heard Kar'kha roar behind them as S'iirai tore out of the tent with her captive._

"Mm, yeah, maybe that was a bit much."

Luar'ka sighed and stretched her wings, humming as she did so and flaring her feathers, "Well, have to say, it does feel good to be out of that ship for a little while. Life aboard the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_ can get a bit stuffy from time to time."

"The what?"

"The Clan ship, basically. It is where most of my life will be spent." Luar'ka explained, following her friend up a steep, grassy knoll. The wind ruffled deliciously through her feathers, carrying a sharp, salty tang from the sea. She breathed in deep, feeling her lungs invigorated with the healthy fresh air.

"I had heard of the enormous ships that carry the Clans of Yautja through space. What were you doing there?" S'iirai asked, her tendrils twisting into a braid to keep out of her face.

"Training, mostly. And earning new scars in the process."

S'iirai frowned, eying her friend's body, covered mostly by the black fur halter and loin cloths. She also took note of the segmented armor miniature in size to the shoulder plates the Yautja commonly wore, beneath which lay a ragged multitude of healed scars and injuries. She frowned, "I see. I did notice the new scarring. You're okay with that?"

"With what?"

"All those scars. Those ones between your wings look pretty bad."

Luar'ka twisted her neck back to try to glance at her newest acquisitions, still somewhat tender to the touch despite having closed by now. She smirked in good humor, "They are my trophies. A hard won fight. They show I survived my struggles." she explained. But she could see the concerned expression on S'iirai's face and she knew her friend was having a hard time wrapping her head around the concept, and not just because she was Illmorein. Luar'ka looked away, "I am fully aware by this point that it is not entirely normal to live like this. My old life is a glimmer of a memory for me, now. I do not recall much else besides exhaustion and gut-wrenching hunger. I was starving to death when they found me. But I am healthy, now. And I grow stronger every fight that I encounter. I am able to eat nutritious food and build my strength to continue to practice and become even stronger, building my honor. This process will continue until I am claimed by _Cetanu_."

"So in other words, I shouldn't worry?" S'iirai said with a smile.

"If you put it like that, then yes." Luar'ka chuckled.

The two of them spent several hours wandering the grassy fields overlooking the great depression in the hills where the Illmorein settlement was located. Luar'ka felt an itch spreading through her wings whenever a strong gust of wind caressed her face and instinct told her to spread her wings, to catch that gust and ride it into the sky. But she was always stopped by her painful lack of know-how. S'iirai would watch her each time this happened, when the girl's expression would contort into one of despair as her eyes followed the invisible current into the horizon. In an attempt to distract her, S'iirai pointed out the launch platform a good distance away from them and pointed out how the older Illmorein found it annoying that the Yautja refused to use it, preferring to land far away from the settlement and cloaking so they became nearly impossible to find. Luar'ka had to chuckle at that.

As they were making their way back toward the pavilions, from which they would proceed to the ship, S'iirai turned to her, "So, about what you and U'lla spoke about earlier. The Yautjas' reason for keeping you. Do you have any ideas?"

"A few. But I do not know how well they would hold up. I can only theorize for now."

"Like what?"

"Well, the Yautja harvest eggs from the _kainde amedha_ and seed training and trial worlds with them. Plus, while I have never seen her, I have heard there is a Hard Meat queen kept in captivity aboard the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_ from which they obtain eggs. But I do not know how true that is. They may have just been transporting her."

"So what does that have to do with what you've been thinking?" S'iirai asked.

"Well, that made me wonder if perhaps they will try something similar with me when I am older. The way Sechinde spoke of the Avians, the stories written in the archives about Hunts with us; it makes it seem like we were once very important prey to them. It seems like our loss was considered great. Maybe, now that one has been confirmed alive..." she trailed off and glanced away, seemingly gathering her thoughts, "The _kainde amedha_ are important to them and they take careful precautions to regulate their numbers on chosen worlds. Perhaps they would do the same with me and maybe try to find compatible genetic matches, to try to create more Avians from me and then regulate their numbers as they do with the _kainde amedha_."

S'iirai was appalled, "So you'd become a breeding tool and little else?"

"Assuming they even decided to take that path. Again, I am only theorizing for my own sake. I will know soon enough, anyway."

"Well," she said, "You don't know anything for sure, yet. Besides, maybe you'll find you're not the last of your kind anyway."

"I would like to hope that," Luar'ka said, "But I have not been home in over a year. We were already struggling. My Clan may have long since moved on by this point." She told her, flexing her wings, "In any event, I have moved on as well. I care nothing for their thoughts on my life. If I should be fortunate enough to meet them again, I will tell them this."

"You don't need to be so vindictive." S'iirai reprimanded gently.

"I am Yautjan." Luar'ka answered simply, as if that explained everything. S'iirai just rolled her eyes.

Luar'ka paused again as a flock of birds rose up from the thick grasses before them, taking off into the air with powerful beats of their little wings. S'iirai heard the dejected sigh from her friend and this time, she'd had enough. She grabbed her arm, turning away from the settlement, "Come on." she said.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere I think you'll like."

/ooo/

Turns out that somewhere S'iirai believed she'd like was the very forest where they'd met the previous year. It was nestled at the base of a long, steep, grassy hill. From the top, powerful winds whipped up, carried over the expanse of deep, dark green trees bunched closely together. Through their thick tops, Luar'ka thought she could see the glimmering surface of the lake in its center. The wind raked through her feathers, lifting them from her head and cooling her scalp beneath them. It whistled uncomfortably into her ears, which, unlike S'iirai's ears resembling those of a human, were simply small, angled holes on either side of her head just above and behind her jaw. After having watched the lizards darting through the deserts back home, Luar'ka knew she had ears more resembling those animals. The Yautja had a similar setup on the lower sides of their own skulls. Just another bizarre thing she had in common with them naturally.

S'iirai came up the slope of the hill behind her, her silvery mane whipping across her back and over her face. She pushed it back behind her ears and squinted down toward the trees, "We're only a couple of miles from the settlement," she explained, "My people don't like coming through this way too often. It's far too difficult to traverse."

"Why did you bring me here?" Luar'ka asked.

"Why do you think? Feel that wind?" the Illmorein asked, raising her hand to cup the invisible breeze ghosting past them, "You're a creature built for the skies, Luar'ka. You're not going to learn to fly from the Yautja, and not just because they can't. From what I can see, you're built for this."

"Can you teach me?" Luar'ka asked dubiously.

"Of course not; I don't have wings. But look at all the birds around here. Maybe if you watched them, copied what they do...well, it's a long shot, but you might be able to learn to fly that way."

Luar'ka turned her gaze to the beautifully colored alien birds soaring overhead, their high pitched calls and wails meeting her sensitive ears. Her eyes narrowed, "In the Clan, when a youngster was to learn to fly, they were chosen by a seasoned adult to serve as their mentor. I only ever saw it happen once. They are expected to make many, many mistakes."

"So what's holding _you_ back?" S'iirai asked knowingly.

Luar'ka straightened up, staring out toward the trees, "I already know how to glide a little. I practice whenever I get a chance aboard the ship and the _Jag'd'dja' atoll_."

S'iirai smiled, nodding, "So you already have a little bit of an advantage. Are you going—"

But before she could finish her sentence, Luar'ka bolted forward, opening her wings with a sharp snap and a rush of feathers as she pushed off from the ground with her momentum. S'iirai raced down after her, watching as the Avian successfully achieved a simple gliding motion, careening down the hill much more quickly than she would have thought. However, her excitement at her friend's victory soon died when she realized that Luar'ka had begun to fishtail, her wings crumpling as she pitched forward, tumbling down into the grass with a yelp. S'iirai flew nimbly down the hill and staggered over to the disheveled Avian picking herself up off the ground, "Are you okay?"

Luar'ka grunted, beating her wings once to right herself as she stood up, "Compared to R'zha's brutality...actually, that _did_ sort of hurt."

"Maybe actually think about what you're doing be—"

But she was off again, running swiftly and surely on the uneven ground as she opened her wings, beating them a few times and then leaping up to catch an approaching gust that slammed into her from behind. The wind caught her wings and lifted her a few feet into the air, carrying her further down the hill and then shifting, angling her left toward the ground. S'iirai winced in preparation for another crash, but to her amazement, Luar'ka tilted her body, angling away from the ground and gliding gently away from it. She still crashed, of course, but this time it appeared to be under her own power rather than that of the wind. S'iirai sighed, this time walking over rather than running. Luar'ka stood up again, flapping her wings a few times to work more circulation in there. She only glanced at her friend briefly as she approached. S'iirai saw that Luar'ka's left wing was moving more stiffly than the other one. She grabbed the wing and deftly wrapped three tendrils around the tip to the base of the joint. After a few moments, she released her wing again and nodded to her friend, " I can only heal you so many times before I myself run out of energy. So, you're going to stay at it?"

Luar'ka just watched her in amazement at what she'd done before composing herself and nodding, "Yes. I will not get another chance like this for a while. I will train for as long as I can before I am called back to the pack."

"You realize you're going to get in trouble, right?"

"Possibly."

"Oh dear...what have I started?" S'iirai sighed with a weary smile. Luar'ka flashed her a toothy grin and then turned to the trees, hurrying toward one and digging her claws in. She scurried up the trunk of the tree with surprising agility before pausing at a branch about halfway up, perching atop it nearly perfectly balanced. The young Illmorein sighed and turned away, hoping to be a fair enough distance away so she wouldn't have to hear another crash landing.

By the time she made it back to the settlement, Luar'ka's pack were standing outside of the meeting place, snarling angrily at one another. Obviously, they were having a serious discussion, but heavens forbid S'iirai could understand them. She approached cautiously, noting how any other Illmorein in the area was avoiding them at great length. The tallest individual in the group, his hide a golden reddish color, turned at her approach, causing the other two to cease talking and face her as well. The gold one glanced at the others and then replaced his mask, causing rivulets of bright blue electricity to wash over his body, seemingly through the odd corded netting he wore along his chest, abdomen, arms, and legs. He clicked rapidly a few dozen times as he connected the hosing back to the side of the mask and then looked down at her again.

" _Luar'ka_." he said, his voice gravelly and uncomfortable to listen to.

"You're looking for her?" S'iirai asked. He nodded. S'iirai cleared her throat, "I left her back toward the lake. She decided to do some flight training."

He jolted slightly, his head turning toward his packmates. He unleashed a complicated series of growls and clicks, all of which sounded aggravated. He faced her again, his fists clenched at his sides, " _TtttttttaKe. Ttthhherrre_." he ground out.

S'iirai was reluctant to take him back there, especially with the other Illmorein in the settlement so flighty at the moment. She was also reluctant to get Luar'ka into trouble, but she knew that to refuse would most likely lead to even more trouble. She finally conceded and turned, beckoning him to follow her.

She led him by himself back to the forest. The other two had gone back to the ship. The walk was silent and S'iirai found that for a creature as enormous as he was, he could walk amazingly quietly. A few times, she lost track of his footsteps.

" I hope you have better luck than I did in getting her to leave," S'iirai joked, "I guess I got the idea stuck in her head that she could train at the forest and then she refused to go back with me."

His response was a low, clicking rumble. But it didn't sound threatening or irritated. Actually, it sounded ponderous, as if he were considering her words and perhaps even agreeing with her.

Reaching the spot where she'd left Luar'ka, S'iirai was puzzled to see that the Avian was nowhere to be seen. She frowned, "I could have sworn I left her right here."

A shrill, far off shriek met their ears on the breeze drifting in. It was cut off abruptly. S'iirai looked over as the Yautja beside her issued a loud, guttural sound somewhere between a bark and a roar. There was no reply. She watched as he suddenly strode forward toward the trees, moving deftly between them and disappearing into the darkened shade running through them. S'iirai wanted to follow, but something about the way he had moved ahead of her had instructed her to stay put. She remained rooted on the hillside, watching as he disappeared and crossing her arms with a sigh. Eventually, S'iirai glanced up at the sky beginning to turn majestic shades of scarlet and violet and cast one more glance toward the trees. Either he was having a hard time finding her or she was making it difficult to retrieve her., both of which were likely. S'iirai knew she had to return for the time being. She only hoped she'd have the chance to speak with Luar'ka once more before the Yautja returned to space.

/ooo/

Kar'kha easily maneuvered through the dense foliage, keeping his cloak deactivated as he wandered in the midst of the enormous trees that made up the aged forest. So far, there was no sign of his wayward apprentice. The forest was just as eerily quiet as it always was on this planet. Sunlight streamed down, warming the vegetation and filling every exposed surface with warmth. As a result, his vision exploded ten fold. The warmer his surroundings, the better his vision became. Contrasting shadows created a myriad of cooler colors, giving him a good idea of depth and distance as he picked his way nimbly through the thick shrubs. The warmer something was, the brighter it stood out, making all possible temperature variants take on a variety of shades and hues of different colors. This gave his kind a wide range of vision. This made it easier with inorganic materials that gave off no heat, such as metals, which simply appeared black or gray, again, also depending on the temperature of the surroundings.

So Hunting for Luar'ka became a little easier. It had become apparent that her natural body temperature was a fair bit lower than most other creatures the Yautja came across. Like them, she clearly needed heat in order to thrive best and didn't seem too bothered by how hot the ships were kept. Her shades of temperature could be picked up in various tones of dark blues. When she raised her feathers in defiance or anger, they would flash in his vision as a bright, blue orange, the heat signature of the blood she was flushing through them. He peered up through the trees, searching for the telltale blue heat signature.

A sharp shriek, similar to the one he'd heard earlier, echoed through the forest, this one louder and clearer. He turned toward it, replacing his mask to his face to zoom in on the trees. This made his vision less clear, but further reaching. He zoned in on an object that plummeted down through the trees, crashing into the thick foliage below. He approached cautiously, climbing onto an upraised tree root with one hand on the trunk for balance as he peered down at the disturbed vegetation. Without too much surprise, Luar'ka's signature feathered crown popped out of the fronds and she hissed in annoyance as she shook the dirt from her head. He watched as she picked herself up and turned her head upward toward the canopy. He observed curiously as she shook herself off and then turned toward the nearest tree, digging her claws in and shimmying up the trunk with surprising speed. Her movements were much faster than any Yautja could manage while climbing. But she also didn't have as much weight and muscle mass holding her back, to say nothing of the gear and armor they had to carry. Her tail lashed as she reached a branch about halfway up the tree and she perched there a moment, surveying the terrain around her. He saw her wings open, her body crouching low as she apparently prepared to spring. He clicked a few times curiously, wondering if this is what she'd been doing all day since she disappeared. As she launched herself off the branch and sailed through the treetops, he had to admit, he was surprised. Than'ja had theorized that she would never gain an interest in flying, as she'd seemingly said as much over the past season during her time in the healing ward. Even as she lost her balance in the air and flipped over, tumbling to the ground with a short scream, he had to admit, he was oddly impressed that she was even trying to fly to begin with. No wonder she hadn't come back; she wouldn't get another chance to practice among trees like this for a long time to come. He activated the cloak and stood absolutely motionless, lost to sight as she jumped up out of the shrubs and tore past him, scurrying up the same tree and nimbly climbing out onto a higher branch. This time, she sat there a while, just staring out over the horizon. He wondered if she was taking a break, perhaps having worn herself out from crashing so many times. The sound of bird calls met his ears and he glanced up, watching a flock of native birds take to the wing in a taller tree not far from where the Avian sat. Her eyes followed them the entire way as they made their way through the dense canopy and out into the open sky. Kar'kha turned abruptly when he heard the sound of her wings beating furiously all of a sudden. He watched as she once again launched into a smooth glide across the forest. Her heat signature suddenly bloomed to a bright blue orange as she seemingly focused all her attention on keeping her body straight while she glided toward the next tree. Having previously kept her wings outward and stiff, she began to beat them ever so slightly, gaining her several inches in height for a brief period of time with each motion. She was approaching the next tree rapidly and he heard her shriek again as she crashed into an outstretched branch, tumbling over it and snagging it with her foot talons. Now, she hung upside down from the branch and he heard her snarl in irritation as she struggled to right herself, digging her claws into the soft bark and climbing headfirst down the tree a short ways before turning and scaling back up to the same branch she'd collided with. But the second she was once again perched upon it, she opened her mouth and let out a sharp wail, one that traveled through the trees and echoed fiercely through his ears, making him snarl angrily. But it occurred to him that this was her version of a roar of victory at her success.

Kar'kha stood a silent vigil and just watched her for a bit longer. He was fascinated by the fluctuations made in her heat signature as she took off from the tree branch, gliding through the air once again. Her signature was now quite vividly colorful and patterned from the heat her body generated during this odd exertion. Her wings especially glowed magnificent shades of deep red, every feather outlined so perfectly with this display that he could see them excellently. Every feature was outlined brilliantly as the blood flushed through her body and rushed heat to every cell. For the first time since he found her, he saw her clearly. And he could see what the records spoke of regarding an Avian in flight.

It was mesmerizing.

/ooo/

The sun was dipping below the horizon. On this planet, instead of setting in the west, the sun sank down into the eastern horizon. Luar'ka found it odd. But no more so than she did on the ship where the only light was generated through the same energy that powered the plasma cannons. It was weak light, designed only to give the Yautja a daytime/nighttime sense to allow them to sleep when the lights were turned off. The Yautja for the most part limited their activities to their very long daylight hours, sleeping mostly in the darkness of the nighttime hours as aligned by their home planet, which she still had yet to see. Their eyes didn't need the light like hers used to; their thermal vision was so sensitive that from what she understood, they could pick out the absolute finest details of anything that gave off heat, every contour, every line, every angle, every particle, simply by how the temperature shades created by the heat melded together to form shapes. She had a hard time picturing it, but luckily for her, she didn't need to. Her eyes were attuned to even the faintest light, so she saw just fine in the limited light aboard the ship. And they were getting stronger. In the dim light of the forest, her peripheral vision, something the Yautja _didn't_ appear to have, caught the sight of a fleeing mammal of some kind beneath a fallen log. Her heart raced in her chest as the opportunity to Hunt presented itself. Still perched in her tree after seven more successful gliding attempts, she eyed the log, a new goal etching itself into her mind. Her wings twitched and her thighs braced. Unconsciously, just as R'zha had instructed her to do in the _kehrite_ , her knees bent, lowering her body both as a means to shadow her presence and to brace to bolt. Her tongue flashed out across her lip-less mouth, allowing her newly erupted sharp teeth to peek out for a moment. She had twelve teeth at the moment, but every day, one became looser as her adult teeth forced their way to the surface, seemingly doubling in number. But the pain was minimal and she clicked her teeth in anticipation. Opening her wings, she practiced what she'd been honing all day, releasing the branch and gently floating downward, gliding swiftly across the canopy. Her hips and thighs dipped slightly as her exhaustion began to creep up on her, tempting her to drop her body, which would, as she'd learned far too many times, inevitably drop her glide to the ground as well. But at least now she was getting an inkling on how to land once she finally got to that step. Forcing her body to remain straight, she swooped down to a lower branch, _now_ pulling her legs forward and angling herself back, stretching her talons out to grab the supple bark of the tree branch. She managed to snag a hold, flailing silently a moment as she fought for balance. Teeth grinding in silent panic of falling, she lashed out and snagged the trunk, hugging it and struggling to keep her breathing soft and slow as her heartbeat settled. Her tail waved slowly behind her as she turned, refocusing on her prey. She could just barely see it beneath the log, the outline of its tail visible just inside the dead wood. Repeating the same steps, she glided down again, this time landing near noiselessly on the log. She moved as silently as possible, eyes focused on the other end as her sensitive hearing caught the sounds of the animal scratching the ground beneath her. She could almost feel its vibrations through the pads of her feet, it was so near. Crouching at the edge of the log, she folded her knees back and huddled down, watching silently. She could smell the creature now and her mouth watered. It had been almost two whole days since she'd eaten and though Than'ja hadn't believed her, it was starting to become apparent that she needed to eat a _lot_ and _often_ in order to continue growing. It seemed she had to maintain a lot of energy for her body size. This small animal, whatever it was, would probably only be as good as a snack at the rate she was going.

The scratching sounds grew louder. Luar'ka held perfectly still, eyes glued on the opening to the log as the animal approached. Its little nose poked out tentatively, scenting the air. Before it could get very far, it caught her scent and bolted toward the bushes. Luar'ka snarled and zipped off the log in hot pursuit, her eyes locked on the creature as it ran. However, the Avian female was practiced by this point and more confident in her speed and agility. The creature jinked to the right to dive into a thick patch of ferns, but Luar'ka plunged downward after it, catching its back foot between her teeth. She scrabbled to her feet, raised the shrieking creature up, still in her mouth, and then slammed it viciously back down onto the ground. Its cries cut off abruptly. Luar'ka paused to catch her breath, eying her motionless kill with a combination of amazement and pride; amazed that she'd caught it, and pride that she'd even caught it in the first place. Her first kill of that deer the year before had been pure chance, as she was lucky enough to land on its back when it and its herd ran past her hiding spot. This time, she'd actually stalked and Hunted her first meal. As she eyed its soft pelt, barely stained in any blood, she smiled a little when she realized that the creature's hide was just big enough to make some new garments for her. They had to be softer than the scratchy old furs she'd been given to improvise with. She decided to save eating her kill until she returned to the ship, bending down and picking it up in her jaws as she tugged her wings and arms down and stalked off silently through the trees.

Meanwhile, still cloaked not twenty feet away, Kar'kha stood stock still, watching her leave. He'd seen the whole thing, watched her stalk and snag the creature from its potential escape, right up until the very moment its red hot body began to bleed blue upon its swift, crushing death against the ground. She clearly followed the rules for Hunting nourishment kills, as well. Prey meant for food must never suffer. It was likely that creature never knew what had hit it. As he stepped out from his hiding place, Kar'kha's eyes narrowed as he made up his mind to introduce Luar'ka to one of the other habits involved with Yautja Hunting for food in the wild. His own brothers had done this to him multiple times. Luar'ka was technically still _his_ apprentice and he hadn't gotten much time with her, yet. It was time to pass on the tradition. Deactivating the cloak, he removed his mask and strapped it to his shoulder. Stepping forward, he arched his back, spread his feet apart and flared his mandibles in a deep, bellowing roar in her direction. Luar'ka jumped high in alarm as she whirled around in midair, her wings opening to balance herself as she dropped her kill. Her mouth opened in a loud snarl on impulse, her body relaxing slightly when she saw Kar'kha. However, this proved to be a mistake as Kar'kha stamped forward, reaching her in just a few strides. Mandibles spread wide, his teeth bared completely, Kar'kha hissed viciously at her, lashing out and grabbing her arm. He swung her around and hurled her away, slamming her against the trunk of the nearest tree where she crumpled to the ground, momentarily stunned. Croaking in pain, she sat up shakily, her vision wobbly from the blow. She looked up and saw him reach down to grab the animal she'd killed. Instantly, her pupils dilated and she stared at him in shock and disbelief that he was pilfering her kill. Never mind what he was doing here in the first place; he was actually stealing her food!

His head turned to look at her and he let out a low, rumbling hiss, eyes narrowed dangerously, full of promises to hurt her if she dared approach him. Luar'ka felt helpless; what was she _supposed_ to do? Why was he doing this? It wasn't as if they were short on food; they'd just had the ship supplied when they left the _Jag'd'dja' atoll!_

Unsure of what to do, Luar'ka just stood there, staring dumbly at him as he crouched on the ground with her fresh kill in his grasp. He continued to growl deeply at her, the throaty clicks sending waves of unease through her. She'd forgotten just how intimidating he could be when he wanted to, and this was technically the first time she'd seen his angry facial expressions through his aggression, since he'd been masked the first time.

He turned away from her and flipped the creature over in his hands. Luar'ka gasped in horror and dismay when he suddenly ripped open its belly with his sharp claws to get at its soft, nutritious innards. Its dark red blood ran freely in thick rivulets down both sides of its furry body, drenching the soft pelt she'd so desperately wanted to use for more comfortable coverings, to say nothing of the meat she wanted to eat herself. He raised it to his mouth and grasped it with his mandibles to hold the skin and hide open while he buried his teeth in its belly, tearing it apart from the inside.

Luar'ka snarled then, taking a step forward, her tail lashing angrily behind her. Kar'kha raised his head, bellowing angrily at her. She hesitated, and he returned to his ill-gotten meal. But Luar'ka's blood burned, her feathers raising. Her face went pale as she unconsciously flushed blood into her feathers for the first time in her life, the blood shooting all the way down through her tail. This created vivid red patterns to form on the tips of her feathers and she felt that same old tingling sensation shoot up and down her spine as her feathers raised on impulse, exactly as it had done before her feathers even developed.

Kar'kha glanced over again and was surprised to see her normally jet black feathers, exuding no heat, abruptly take on a stunning display of flaming red as they suddenly gained a heat signature. Her entire spine and tail were aglow, her feathers like flames erupting from her head.

Luar'ka shrieked loudly and charged toward him, launching herself onto his back faster than he could react. Gouging her claws deep into his thick hide, she started attacking his face, biting and scratching at his wide crest and opening deep gouges. Kar'kha roared his fury and dropped the creature he'd stolen, jumping to his feet and grabbing at her flailing tail, prying her writhing form off of him and swinging her in a wide arc, hurling her across the forest floor. Luar'ka was ready this time though, twisting in midair and slashing at the ground to slow her momentum, reversing it as she lunged forward and raked his abdomen with her claws, darting away before he could grab her.

The entire close combat system for Yautja encompassed a series of brutal holds and grabs meant to either force an opponent into submission during a spar, or else to expose vulnerable areas such as the face, neck, backs of the legs, or groin. Yautja usually used their own massive weight and impressive muscle mass to overwhelm and overpower opponents, often throwing, slamming, and beating them into submission in any way possible. However, these methods couldn't be used on Luar'ka in a usual fight for one reason; she was just too fast. Lighter than a _kainde amedha_ no doubt and _certainly_ lighter than a Yautja, she was capable of speed and agility that even the quickest Yautja couldn't meet. Kar'kha was forced to watch her movements, enduring strike after strike against him and doing his best to block them until he finally found an opening. As she jumped off a tree behind him and launched herself toward his neck, he turned, shifting his center of gravity and delivering a heavy kick to her abdomen. She went down with a breathless cry, sprawling on the ground in pain. He knew that blow had stunned her. She didn't move, but he could hear her struggling to stifle her whimpers of pain. He suspected he'd probably broken a few bones and perhaps damaged the muscle walls. He returned to his place and finished off the creature, even eating its bones as he worked them into his deeper set of teeth, crunching them down until they were small enough to swallow without scraping the inside of his throat. His long two-pronged tongue slipped out to clean his mandibles and the sides of his mouth of the creature's blood. He tossed the skin aside, knowing she probably wanted to claim it. Like any smaller predator bested by a larger one, he suspected Luar'ka would make do with scavenging scraps. Besides, it was too small for him to do anything useful with.

He cast one final glance at her as she slowly began to pick herself up off the ground, eyes downcast in shame and pain. He resisted the urge to chuff; she needn't feel ashamed. After all, he was teaching her, and he planned to do this as many times as it took until she could successfully steal back her food. Leaving her be, he stalked off through the trees.

Luar'ka watched him go, feeling the dull ache where he'd kicked her. He hadn't broken anything, thank the _Paya_ , but the combination of her brief scuffle with him on top of spending the entire day practicing gliding had exhausted her. She could have really used that meal. It confused her briefly for a moment; that creature had been far too small to do his body any good. At first, she wondered what possible reason he could have to steal it from her. Then, it hit her.

He had _wanted_ her to challenge him. He had wanted her to _fight_ for her food back. There was no other explanation. The Yautja had massive, high maintenance bodies that, like hers, required a lot of energy to function. Than'ja had taught her that she and the Yautja all seemed to be cold-blooded, requiring heat to thrive. He said that many reptiles and some creatures like them found throughout the galaxy functioned this way, most notably those on _N'-ithya_. However, there was a major difference between their two species and those of the common reptiles they shared so much in common with; the Avians and the Yautja were highly active creatures. Once sufficiently warmed, they could be as active as they needed to be. To make up for this tremendous energy output, they were required to consume large amounts of highly nutritious food to replenish their bodies at regular intervals. There was no possible way Kar'kha could have wanted that small animal just for this purpose. Luar'ka used this knowledge to assume what she did, thinking that perhaps this was another bizarre way Kar'kha thought to further her training. He might even instruct the rest of the pack to do the same. Luar'ka would have to toughen up quickly if she wanted to eat again. But now, she was too tired to Hunt and too famished to even think about it. Ignoring the scraping ache of her empty stomach, she sighed and trekked back through the forest toward the settlement, now dearly wishing for knowledge of flight so she could save herself a few thousand steps.

/ooo/

A few more mild repairs were needed on the antiquated engine. Thwei'ja declared they would leave within a very short while. When Luar'ka returned, she was exhausted, starving, and weary. She watched from the hillside, her wings hanging limply behind her as her brothers worked on the ship. Kar'kha was there as well, but he didn't notice her, or if he did, he ignored her. Luar'ka just observed him, calculating. She was wary of him for the moment, the depth of his actions from earlier not entirely lost on her, but not entirely forgiven, either. She'd needed that meal. She'd used a lot of energy during the day struggling to embrace the heritage of her kind she'd almost lost forever. But even though a part of her desired to get back at him for what he'd done, the more rational, Yautjan mindset she'd developed under their tutelage reminded her that he was one of her teachers. What he'd done was simply what he had to do in order to force her to grow the way she needed to while living in their society. And it was probable that he would continue to do this until she learned how to fight back. In many ways, the Yautja were quite peaceable amongst themselves. But in many other ways, they were as brutal with one another as they were with their enemies, particularly where honor was concerned.

A few mechanically minded Illmorein had taken the plunge and stepped up to help with the engines. Luar'ka watched them silently, her sharp eyes picking up the way their faces remained stiff and their eyes flicked occasionally to their visitors, perhaps keeping alert for any problems.

Down below, Thwei'ja descended the ramp, snarling at a couple of male Illmorein who crossed past him. They scuttled out of the way as Thwei'ja moved off to the other side of the ship. As any skilled Hunter would, he sensed he was being watched and quickly located Luar'ka on the ridge. He met her gaze and held it, warning her from afar not to cross his boundaries any further than she already had. Luar'ka kept her eyes locked with his for only a moment or two longer than she probably should have before finally lowering her head in submission, turning away in silent, slow retreat.

"He's quite cantankerous, isn't he?"

Luar'ka froze in a short step, eyes wide in front of her as S'iirai made her way up the grassy knoll to stand with her friend. Her flowing silver mane of opalescent tendrils rippled in the breeze and in the setting sun, her blue-black eyes seemed to sparkle like the night sky. Luar'ka still wasn't sure if there were indeed any whites to their eyes at all, but was too tired to question. S'iirai glanced briefly at her and then returned her gaze to the ship below. She sighed, folding her arms, "I saw you standing up here. How come you're not down there with them?"

"It is too long a tale to go into, now." Luar'ka muttered in reply.

"We have a while, yet."

But Luar'ka couldn't be persuaded. The two remained on the hillside, chatting quietly and watching the Yautja repair their ship.

"We didn't get much time to talk this time, did we?" S'iirai said.

"No, we did not. It is a shame; I had wanted to talk more. But we must leave for _N'-ithya_ immediately." Luar'ka replied, "When I was taken, the _kainde amedha_ were commonplace, but not entirely under control. Elder Sechinde wants to know why."

"How do you feel about going back?"

"I feel nothing. This is a mission. I will get through it, survive, and return to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ to complete my training."

"And your family?" S'iirai pried, concerned that Luar'ka was so _un_ concerned.

"What of them?"

"Do you wonder where they are?"

"We are watching them, of course." Luar'ka said, gesturing toward the Yautja below the hill. S'iirai rolled her eyes, "You can convince yourself of it all you like if it helps, Luar'ka. But you're going to have to come to terms with it. You may run into your family when you go back."

Luar'ka stretched her wings, "I will handle that when I get to it," she said, "I have more important things to worry about."

"Like what?"

"My honor, of course."

S'iirai rolled her eyes with a deep sigh.

/ooo/

The intense light of the burning sun of _Illmianyar_ dipped down beyond the horizon, leaving a soft orange and yellow glow caressing the hilltops. The rise and sets of planetary stars were hardly anything to notice as one became older. Even on the homeworld, which possessed more than one energy-suffusing star locked in an orbit with a larger, neighboring star, while one was setting below the planet's orbit, another was rising. The homeworld knew no true night time and Warkha understood his species' planet as one which would be considered unwelcoming by many other species' standards. However, his kind had evolved to thrive on it, their energy and activity soaring on such high levels of intense heat and the tropical humidity found at lower altitudes.

He stood on the outskirts of the Illmorein encampment, awaiting a return transmission from the other Yautja group in the area. It had taken longer to repair the damage to his ship than he'd been expecting. Keeping it in functional working shape was critical since the majority of his life was currently spent in it by his lonesome. He didn't care about that too much, but he knew he couldn't leave until he was sure it was space-worthy.

So here he stood, stock still and watching the star's descent across the eastern horizon. He had to admit, it was oddly peaceful and his highly sensitive eyes kept track of the hot, burning reds fading to cool, soft blues, illuminating the landscape in a translucent sea of colder colors. He could pick out every detail, from those strange deer running across the plains to the expanse of rocky outcropping on the edge of the cliffs across the valley. He glanced down at his own ethereally white skin, which, due to his condition, was a bit thinner than most of his brethren and as a result, caused his heat output to skyrocket and his luminescent blood to glow through his hide. Hence, his entire body appeared as a single glowing white form in the heat sensors, or so he'd been told. This effect doubled during the night hours. He'd been told he took on a rather surreal effect during these times. Hence, why many referred to him as _Bhu'ja_ , or specter.

He turned sharply, eying the settlement with distaste. His striking eyes, the same color as the Yautjan blood from lack of pigmentation, narrowed as he let out a deep huff of impatience and irritation. He hated dealing with the Illmorein. They were far too skittish, far too strange, and far too cowardly. They maintained an honor system of their own, but their world was so backwards compared to the life he'd known that he couldn't even comprehend their thinking, let alone their actions and ways of life. Whenever he approached them, though he meant them no harm and came to them with calm intentions, they always fled from him. It angered him, knowing how much effort he put into being as peaceful as possible around them and it still wasn't enough. However, he knew better than to voice his concerns. After all, the Illmorein were a different race and the diametric opposite of the Yautja in almost every conceivable way. They couldn't be expected to act the same or even condone the same practices the Yautja exhibited. Warkha had long since gotten used to it and learned to put aside his own irritations in favor of the Clan's best interests. For many, many decades, this was the lifestyle he'd grown accustomed to. Until just a season ago, this was the life he expected to lead until the _Paya_ called him to join them.

Of course, that was before _she_ appeared.

Warkha clacked his tusks together, tossing his head with a grunt.

The Avian. That tiny, feathered female whose life he'd inadvertently saved the season before. Only a youngster, barely reaching his hip at the time of their meeting, he'd been astounded to learn that the injuries inflicted on the Bad Blood Yautja had been caused by her blunt little claws and talons. He couldn't take his eyes off her, the sight of the blood on her hands and her garments proof enough that she'd fought for her life and survived. And then the stories he'd heard of when she was found by Thwei'ja's pack on _N'-ithya,_ how she'd single-handedly driven off one of the _kainde amedha_ and held her own against a Yautja, albeit a young male, freshly Blooded.

Warkha rumbled deep in his throat at the memory. He recalled one of the reasons he'd accepted the position as Arbitrator; normal common Hunting no longer presented the same challenge it once had. His successful killing and retrieval of that great sea beast had cemented his rank and honor as a highly powerful Yautja among the Triad. However, he couldn't seem to find the same fresh enjoyment he once had of great Hunts of cunning prey. Even humans no longer issued forth a thrill for him. Of course he, like most Hunters, had heard the legends of the great beasts of myth, some possibly having been real, others more likely simply stories. However, one creature had managed to maintain a hold on the Yautjan historical records as one of the most challenging and thrilling prey they have ever faced. Second only to the _kainde amedha_ , who were simply more aggressive and openly hostile, the Avians had once held the human race's spot as powerful and cunning prey. Believed extinct, they fell into legend over the generations, their information and data banished to the depths of the archives, no longer available to common Hunters.

After meeting Luar'ka, Warkha had found himself unable to stop from thinking about her, thinking about whether or not she was truly one such creature from that long forgotten race. It had taken a lot of work on his part, but he'd finally managed to uncover their ancient name from the archives. To the Yautja, the Avians were known as _gyun'r'te amedha_ , a name he thought fit rather well. And all available statistics fit perfectly. There was no denying it.

The Avians weren't extinct and for the first time in many, many seasons, Warkha felt the stirring of adrenaline pump through his body at the thought of a Hunt. His pulse quickened and he found he was unable to stand still. A deep, pleased rumble reverberated through his chest and he felt it morph into a purr at the thought.

He moved away from his ship, now too restless to continue waiting. He had meant to arrive much earlier, had the repairs not gotten in the way. He had a good idea of where Thwei'ja's group was. He vaguely hoped that the female Avian would be among them as she'd been on the supply station in orbit.

He crossed over the hill on the east side of the settlement. He didn't bother cloaking. The Illmorein didn't bother him and so long as they stayed out of his way, he wouldn't bother them, either. He passed a couple of Illmorein walking along the hillside. They immediately noticed him coming and froze up in terror, slowly retreating down the hill as he moved past. He spared them only a single, passive glance, rumbling softly. This croon was meant to be calming, but he'd noticed over the course of his life that other lifeforms seemed to find it more or less horrifying. Predictably, the Illmorein scurried as far from him as quickly as they could, back toward the tents. Warkha sighed heavily in irritation and bafflement; he'd never fully understand those creatures and he harbored no desire to do so.

As he approached the next crest, he caught sight of the other ship, touched down on the plains. He could see the pack preparing it for its return to space. He approached unguarded, but with caution. He saw the same Yautja he'd met on board the supply ship, as well as a taller individual working beside him as they apparently began to pack their gear up in preparation to leave. The one nearest him growled suddenly, standing up and facing him. Warkha remained undeterred, nodding in greeting as he drew nearer, "There is no need for hostilities. I am here on peaceful terms."

The younger individual backed down, refusing to remove him from his line of sight. Warkha approached closer, keeping his guard up, "I wish to speak with Thwei'ja. Is he here?"

"Aboard the ship." was the disgruntled reply.

Warkha didn't need to proceed further, though. As he turned to approach the ship, he caught something in his vision, piquing his curiosity. He angled back, staring out toward the hills as he caught sight of the Avian he'd been searching for, approaching the ship with one of the Illmorein. Warkha's eyes narrowed and he ticked his tusks together as he turned, facing them as they approached. He watched as Luar'ka seemed to catch sight of him, pausing where she stood. He felt a rise of anticipation in his chest as he watched her feathers furl in suspicion, though her procession toward them didn't halt. He could see abnormally colored patches of warmth blooming across her normally placid body; obvious signs of bruising and injury. He wondered what she could have done to herself in the relatively short time they'd been apart.

(( _Avian,))_ he greeted cordially as she approached, (( _I am pleased to see you arrived in good condition.))_

She didn't answer this time, just staring him down coldly. Warkha drew nearer to her, his eyes narrowing. Luar'ka matched his steps with two backward ones of her own while S'iirai watched in apprehension, unconsciously moving to shield her friend from the perceived threat. Warkha leered at this display, torquing his upper tusks in amusement. Perhaps this time, she would run, giving him the ample opportunity he needed in which to pursue her.

(( _You are injured,))_ he remarked, (( _But not gravely, so. This is good...))_

He unsheathed his wrist blades as he approached her. To his surprise, Luar'ka moved out from behind the Illmorein and flared her wings and feathers, snarling her displeasure at his nearness to them. Warkha felt his spines stiffen in annoyance when this was returned with an answering growl from inside the ship. Thwei'ja emerged down the ramp and his two pack-mates stood up, eying him. Thwei'ja took in the situation, his eyes narrowed dangerously, (( _Warkha, I had warned you. You are to wait to challenge the Endling. What is the meaning of this?))_

Warkha could see he was caught breaking his word. He knew better than to reason his motives in front of Thwei'ja, who wouldn't believe anything he had to say. He cast a quick glance toward the Avian and then sheathed his blades, averting his eyes from the elder Yautja standing before him, (( _You are correct, Thwei'ja. I stepped out of line. It would seem my interest got the better of me.))_

 _((What do you want?))_

 _((I came to inform you that I shall handle discussion of the destroyed Sert'truuc vessel and its Illmorein captive. I was the one who brought it down, so the responsibility rests on me.))_

Thwei'ja regarded him quietly as he considered the offer. Truth be told, he'd had enough of dealing with the Illmorein for one day. He let out a rattling sigh, nodding his head in affirmation, (( _Very well. I will leave it to you, then.))_

Warkha chuffed softly and turned, stalking away from the ship. He glanced back once as the Avian cautiously picked her way closer to the shuttle. His eyes narrowed and he pressed his tusks tightly against his face, working to contain his building frustration. Soon enough, he told himself. Soon enough he would be able to test her, discover her true talents in battle. He was certain she was too unskilled to match the records he'd seen, but he was too anxious to wait for her to mature. He had to know now.

But now, he could continue to wait, just as he'd been doing.

Thwei'ja turned to face the two young females approaching. He was surprised with the willing appearance of the young Illmorein. Normally, they kept to themselves, especially where the Yautja were concerned. He tossed his head, irritated that he'd been called outside from preparations for such a petty squabble. Honestly, he hadn't expected Warkha to be _that_ forward in regards to the female Avian. As he watched the white Yautja make his way toward the settlement, his eyes narrowed and he pulled his tusks close to his mouth. He wasn't sure he liked this shift in attitude. Annoyance or not, the Avian was still a part of the pack he led. She was still officially in training. He made note of this as she stood before him, head bowed in submission, as was proper.

(( _We depart shortly.))_ he growled to her.

(( _Yes, Thwei'ja._ )) she replied.

He repeated the announcement to the other males and then returned to the ship to finish his work before takeoff.

Luar'ka watched her brothers board the ship before facing S'iirai, "I am sorry about that." she said, "Warkha is a bit...uh...he is...um..."

S'iirai eyed her in confusion, "Eccentric?" she ventured. Luar'ka let out a deep, huffing sigh not too dissimilar from those made by the Yautja, "Yes, that word works."

S'iirai chuckled, "There is no concern. It seems your leader had his feathers ruffled by the whole incident, Luar'ka. Best not keep him waiting."

The Avian mustered up a grin of amusement as she remembered Thwei'ja's short temper, "Yes, I have seen him angry and that is enough. I hope to see you again soon, S'iirai."

She clapped her friend on the shoulder, shaking her quickly. Tucking her wings back, she turned and hurried up the ramp of the ship. S'iirai bolted away from the ship as the ramp was raised up to fuse with the open side of the vessel as it began to lift off the ground. Standing on the grassy hillsides, the Illmorein watched as the ship turned gracefully in the air and its engines roared to life, pushing it swiftly into the heavens and vanishing from sight in minutes.

A/N: So, crazy busy, painting, working, writing, and sleeping. That last one is an elusive bugger. This book has been divided into two and work on the third one has slowed down considerably until I know more about what's going on with it. In the meantime, werewolfbleu has a few new stories out that could use some attention, _Dances with Werewolves_ , a surprisingly entrancing story featuring a creature who is anything but a normal werewolf, and _Not Your Average Fairytale,_ telling the story of quite possibly the weirdest idea ever captured for the Alien Vs. Predator universe done so exquisitely well and so gut-wrenchingly funny that I dare someone to keep a straight face while reading it. It is truly a work of art and a masterpiece of creative writing. Do yourselves a favor and check it out.


	23. Twenty-Three

Twenty-three

Ki'vei-ta clacked her tusks together impatiently as she took her seat at the head of the table in the council chambers. In the center of the hollow table, the holographic image of their spacial territory shone brightly, its width enough to stretch out and touch the edges of the table, expanding toward the ceiling above them. A few more Elders filed in, Sechinde among them. He greeted Ki'vei-ta with a nod and took his seat. Two more males and a single female seated themselves and awaited further instruction, watching the Matriarch seriously. Ki'vei-ta was easily the youngest member in the room by at least three centuries, but they all knew better than to assume weakness from her. Since inheriting the title of Matriarch from her bearer, outstripping all of her sisters in rank, intellect, prowess and strength, she'd proven herself to be a most impressive leader, following a few clumsy adjustment years, of course.

"Neh'r'ki, Sechinde," she began, addressing the two Elders who had requested the meeting, "I am becoming rather weary of discussing the Avian. I would prefer to hear of the status of the outbreak."

Sechinde nodded, his exceedingly long tendrils rustling softly against his back and neck, "Understood," he said, "We have news and propositions regarding both, if you would care to hear them."

Ki'vei-ta seemed less than thrilled, but she kept her mood in check, clicking her tusks a few times, "Proceed, Sechinde."

"Regarding the outbreak on _N'-ithya_ , we have one new item of news, although the origin of the outbreak is still unclear."

"What is the news?"

"A warrior named H'rath'kal from the _To're'ke_ journeyed there several rotations ago. He has since been bested by his prey. However, the images his mask recorded were of great interest to us. It seems that prior to his death, he stumbled across a nest."

"Play the recording." Ki'vei-ta ordered. Sechinde took up his gauntlet, removed from his wrist and set on the table beside him. He pulled it closer and input a series of commands, looking up toward the hologram in the center of the room. The sphere shifted and warped, the neon orange light twisting into the shape of a spacious room. From the eyes of the deceased Hunter, they saw what he saw; dozens of unhatched Hard Meat eggs littered about the floor of what appeared to be a wide cavern. The Hunter was moving slowly, eyes scanning cautiously about him in case one of the eggs should open. His viewpoint moved around in slow, erratic circles and through the audio, they heard his cautious clicking. The cavern extended deeper, ending in a dark chasm that stretched down into the ground. The Hunter paused here and looked deep into the chasm, studying it carefully before turning around.

"Is there any indication of the location shown here?" Ki'vei-ta asked.

"Unfortunately, no. For reasons unknown to us, he did not begin recording his location until only a few moments before now." Sechinde replied, a dark, annoyed tone littered through his voice.

The audio picked up again and they heard the telltale squelching sound, which caused the Hunter to turn suddenly in the direction of the eggs. A sharp snarl was heard when one of the eggs was shown to be open, but empty upon closer inspection. The viewpoint shifted quickly as the Hunter searched for the escaped _tou'amedha_. A sharp shriek and the viewpoint crackled and fizzed out abruptly. The image was replaced with the layout of their spacial territory in its place. Ki'vei-ta sighed and sat back, "So then, that was that." she said, "And has the Hunter's body been recovered?"

"His body has not been retrieved," Neh'r'ki said, "And we have been as yet, unable to track his location. His ship was recalled to us, however he had moved quite a large distance away from it by the time we accessed the recordings."

Ki'vei-ta pulled up a map of estimated coordinates of where they believed the Hunter's body might be in relation to the location his deserted ship was called from. Her eyes narrowed, "This _is_ quite a distance. Any further and he might very well have considered his ship derelict by that point. Do we know what he was doing, Hunting so far from his claimed territory?"

Sechinde nodded, "Yes. He was tracking a number of congregating _kainde amedha_. It would seem that he had found the nest..." he trailed off. Ki'vei-ta eyed him thoughtfully, clicking her tusks together in contemplation. Sechinde was doing it again; he was withholding answers from her, opinions and suppositions he had regarding the case before them. Just because she knew _why_ he was doing it didn't make her appreciate it any more than she felt she did. Ki'vei-ta turned her attention back to the image as the only answer that made sense wormed its way into her mind, "He was too far from it," she finished, "This distance is nearly equal that of twenty of _N'-ithya's_ rotations, forty of our own. No Hunter of sound mind would bother traveling that far on foot. He would have shifted his position with the ship and continued from there."

"Something halted his ability to do so." Sechinde said.

The others in the room began a soft series of rumbles and clicks, beginning to see the one and only disturbing conclusion this train of thought could lead to. Neh'r'ki finally broke the contemplative silence, "He was forced away. He was driven to retreat, to reconsider his strategy. He was blocked from returning to his ship."

The thought sent a shudder of ominous anger through every member in the room. The idea of a Yautja fleeing from a threat was obscene. The Yautja ran from nothing. Backing off, strategic retreats, or slipping off to a distance; all strategies that served their purposes well and allowed them to continue to engage their prey for as long as they could track it. This Hunter had been forced into an extended retreat, struggling to gain some ground of advantage on his attackers. The data clearly showed that he'd been pursued until he entered the nest.

"There is no way to be certain whether he was sequestered within the nest or chose to wander deeper in on his own in hopes of finding another way out," Ki'vei-ta said as she activated the recording again of the nest, "Something kept him on the run, driving him toward the nest. Whatever it was was strong. Are there _no_ recordings of what he encountered?"

Sechinde shook his head, "None. I find this fact alone suspicious enough as it is. I believe the recordings may have been tampered with."

"How is this possible?" Ki'vei-ta demanded as calmly as she could. There was no sense in losing her temper now.

"It was not until many rotations when H'rath'kal failed to report back to the _To're'ke_. He was a seasoned Hunter, successful in hundreds of Hunts and conquests. For such a proud Yautja to fail to report back within the specified time meant little else than that he had been taken by the _Paya_. This is when the order to summon the ship back was cast. Scouts from the _Ki'vai_ have been sent out to investigate, but they have yet to return with new information."

"I see." Ki'vei-ta muttered, though she was clearly edgy about the subject. She leaned back in her chair with a barely audible sigh, "Well then, as I am sure you are all anxious to hear," she said with a light bite to her tone, "What of the news of the Avian?"

"We have been considering what to do with her when she matures." one of the others said, "For her to have lasted this long confounds me."

"So then tell me your thoughts, then." Ki'vei-ta said as patiently as she could. The new-spoken Elder sat up straighter, detecting her shift in mood. He knew he had little time with which to state his suggestion, "We are aware that the Avian is quite possibly the last one of her kind left in existence. We have considered accessing our databanks on various prey throughout the galaxy," he said, "If we were able to obtain samples of the Avian's genetic makeup, we assumed it might be possible to find genetic matches with which to pair her once she has reached maturity. If she succeeds in mating with such a match and produces offspring, this would be the first step toward bringing her kind back as the honorable prey they once were."

Ki'vei-ta eyed him sternly, "I am going to assume from your tone that you have already begun this process, regardless of _my_ thoughts on the matter." she snapped, flaring her lower mandibles at him. He shrunk back and turned his head away in submission, averting his eyes. The gesture was enough to mollify Ki'vei-ta as she confirmed her suspicions, "Aside from untested, the idea is rather dishonorable. We selectively breed the _kainde amedha_ , certainly. However, they are far from sentient as we are. They barely know us from any other creature in the galaxy. As long as it breathes, they do not care who or what they impregnate. The Avian has proven herself to be quite sentient, albeit lower in stature than ourselves. How do you justify using her this way?"

"Sechinde can confirm how important the Avian race once was to our people." the Elder said.

"True, he can. So tell me, how many matches have you found in your shadowy search?" she argued lightly.

"We...have found a total of six at the moment."

"Well, you have been busy." Ki'vei-ta hissed. The Elder, cowed under, backed down and looked away. Ki'vei-ta worked her mandibles feverishly for a moment before sighing heavily, "While it is an important matter to consider regarding bringing her species back, at the moment, it is not relevant. She has not even matured. There are more urgent matters to deal with and to be truthful, I am quite weary of hearing about the Avian. I want you to put aside your...projects. When the Avian has matured to a breeding age, we will discuss the matter then, and not before. If I hear that you have continued this venture without my permission, there will be dire consequences. Am I understood?"

The Elder rumbled something in reply, but it was enough. The message was loud and clear.

Ki'vei-ta called the meeting to an end, feeling her temper flaring as she did so. The others filed out, talking quietly as they did so. Sechinde lingered back, watching the Matriarch carefully. Most Yautja maintained a healthy level of wariness around the Matriarch, males especially. Female Yautja were renowned for their short tempers and impressive strength. Though it occasionally depended on the individual, on average, female Yautja were larger and stronger than their male counterparts. Ki'vei-ta was certainly taller than most of the males she dealt with, standing close to nine and a half feet high. But unlike many of her kindred sisters, she wasn't as well-built and appeared a bit more on the lean side. She was highly intimidating, but she made effective use of both her body and her intellect in order to force her foes into submission. And as a relatively new Matriarch, she was still learning the delicate balance of managing an entire Clan, as well as the balance of the Triad. This was why Sechinde held back. He held a healthy respect and admiration for her, showing undaunted support as her Clan member, Hunter, and even mate on occasion. He always tread carefully around her and she chose to interact with him outside of mating and talks with the Elders because of it.

She faced him, her tusks close to her mouth as she eyed him warily, "Am I losing my touch, Sechinde?"

"I would hardly think so." he said softly, "I do not imagine there is much in the way of precedence to rely on with a matter such as this."

"You Hunted the Avians. Tell me, were they truly as exhilarating prey as the records state? How reliable are they, do you believe?"

"I speak from my own experience." Sechinde replied, "And yes, it was a Hunt I shall never forget."

Ki'vei-ta sighed, looking away, "I am quite tired of this whole situation. Sometimes, I am tempted to have her brought to me so that I may end her myself."

Sechinde rumbled deeply, averting his head to the side, "If that is what you feel is best, Ki'vei-ta, I will see to it that no Yautja will stand in your way."

"Not even you?" Ki'vei-ta asked, leering questioningly at him. Sechinde was the Yautja that first proposed the Avian's protection. Perhaps out of misplaced sentiment toward a great Hunt or perhaps out of curiosity to the youngster's abilities; She didn't know and she didn't care to find out. His reasons were his own and she had no desire to pry any deeper than she already had access to.

"I would back down." he answered without hesitation.

Ki'vei-ta looked away, her long, jewel-strung tendrils swishing lightly behind her, "I will think upon the matter for a while," she said finally, "To act now is impulsive and rash, to say nothing of reckless. The Avian has proven some worth."

"You believe in her potential?"

"Like all Yautja, I have heard the legends of bygone times and prey that has since disappeared. I choose to stay silent on the matter for the time being. In the future, you shall have your answer, Sechinde. But only when I am sufficiently ready to give it."

Moving toward him, she paused briefly when she drew very close to him, a short, steady rumble echoing from deep within her chest as she bowed her head beside his. She moved again, away from him and toward the door. Sechinde waited for many minutes before daring to leave the room after her. For all the occasional moments when she appeared to show favor toward him, such as right then, he knew that the smallest slight could incite her to attack. Even something as walking too close to her back and blind spots. When he was positive it was safe to leave, he did so, stepping out into the corridor. The voices of many Yautja could be heard reverberating through the darkened passageways and he listened to the incoherent cacophony with mild disinterest. He felt even to this day that the previous Matriarch had made a wise decision in appointing her eldest daughter as her successor, foregoing the usual tests of mettle and skill that often followed the death of a leader. It was a highly uncommon move that was proving extremely effective. Though fresh, Ki'vei-ta was promising. In a few rotations' time, another delegation would be held between high ranking members of the Triad, in which he and Ki'vei-ta would again face the Elders with their news, decisions and strategies. Ki'vei-ta was right; at present, the Avian was the absolute least of their concerns. They had many other, far more important matters weighing on the horizon and it was likely that many changes loomed before them. Their entire society operated on traditions and customs dating as far back as their very origins, misty as they were. However, the wise Yautja knew that some things inevitably had to change in order to progress in any way. Fight to hang onto treasured customs, but work toward progress for the betterment of the Clan and the brethren. It was the secret to true success and the reason why the Yautja had survived.

This was how Sechinde chose to view the situation both involving the young Avian and the troubles with the Triad. He could only hope that one day, Ki'vei-ta herself would also realize this to its full effect.

/ooo/

The trip back to earth was looming before them. The pack had returned briefly to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ for supplies to last for the longer journey. Luar'ka had learned that after this trip with her pack, the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ would leave its stationary orbit and begin trekking through space again toward known Hunting worlds. She was spending a couple of rotations back in the storeroom until it was time to leave. The storeroom of the healing ward was actually a lot larger than Luar'ka gave it credit for. She ducked down as Ikthya'de took a swipe at her head and zipped past him, scaling the wall and hanging barely out of his reach from the ceiling. He turned his head up to watch her, growling low in his chest as he braced for her next move. She scrambled nimbly across the domed ceiling of the storeroom, releasing her own set of clicking growls as her tail swished behind her. She released her grip and dropped down to the floor behind him, forcing him to turn quickly to keep his eye on her. But she was moving so quickly and using the natural thin mist in the room as a cover that he had to really focus to keep up with her erratic movements. A flurry of mist puffed up to his right and he whirled, tusks clacking furiously. The mist wasn't as thick in this room as it was in the main entryway, kept as such in order to regulate any foreign air that managed to slip in while on any Hunting world. But it was thick enough to cover her small body as she moved nearly entirely silently around him. He barely saw it coming when she rocketed out of the mist, leaping with surprising strength toward his face. His arm shot up to block her attack as she opened her mouth to bite his neck, latching onto his arm instead. He grunted when her sharp little teeth pierced his thick skin and this grunt turned into a sharp growl when her lower body undulated in midair to rake her vicious foot talons across his abdomen, opening thin, but deep little gashes in his hide. His other arm lashed around and, while carefully controlled to avoid seriously damaging her, pummeled her side to knock her off of him, sending her flying halfway across the room. She shrieked briefly and twisted in the air to land somewhat clumsily on her feet, her knees bending and her thighs straining from the impact. She snarled furiously and darted around him. Ikthya'de ducked forward and grabbed her shoulder as she sped past, pushing her all the way down to the floor and pinning her in place. This was a typical submission technique for sparring between Yautja, but with Luar'ka, he had to measure his force carefully. Her body was extremely delicate. Too much strength could easily shatter her. He moved his other hand around to grab her flailing tail and pin it and his hand against her writhing lower half to force her down against the floor. His left hand held onto her shoulder, pushing her face-down and shifting his hand to her neck to hold her there. In this position, she couldn't fight anymore and couldn't break his grip. It was short and quick, but this sparring session was over and Ikthya'de was the victor. Luar'ka turned her head away in submission and he released her, stepping back away from her as she struggled to her feet. She sighed, fluffing her feathers out, "I believe I see what I did wrong," she said, " I let you get too close to my back, is that right?"

Ikthya'de nodded, "Never show your back to an opponent," he instructed, "It gives the opportunity to turn your own attack into a weakness."

"So I see." she said, stretching her wings. She turned to face him, her eyes narrowed and her legs spread apart defensively, "One more round." she said, "I will get it right this time."

"That is enough for today, _Gyun'r Mei'jadhi_."

"Ikthya'de, I have seen you and the others sparring for much longer than that." she complained.

"We have also lived and fought for much longer than you, Luar'ka. We have many, many seasons to your lone one. Even the most unintelligent Yautja knows not to over-exert himself. He will only end up injured, or worse."

Luar'ka sat down in disappointment, "But Cetanu is not to be feared. And experience must come at all costs to survive," she argued lightly, "I will never grow stronger if I do not push myself."

"R'zha has taught you well," Ikthya'de remarked, pulling some dried fruit from the satchel attached to the belt about his waist, "However, you seem to have missed the point of one his lessons."

"What is that?" she asked, watching as he sat down and divided the fruit between them. He handed her the larger half and watched as she nibbled on it. His mandibles clicked together in regard to her as he thought of a way to continue, "He has instructed you in the ways of the _Paya_ , correct?"

"He has. Great warriors of the past have been called by the goddesses to look down on us, guide us, and one day call us to join them. They are pleased by great achievements in the Hunt, by the most honorable Yautja who keep close their teachings and wisdom."

Ikthya'de nodded, "This is true. And he spoke of Cetanu, correct?"

"...He did. 'The Black One'. The one who eventually wins all fights. The goddess of eternal sleep. Death."

"Do you know that an incarnation of Cetanu is kept aboard this very ship?" he asked knowingly.

"What?"

Ikthya'de fixed her with a knowing look, "A black queen. The bearer of the _kainde amedha_. A creature possessing of such beauty and raw power that she is revered as Cetanu herself. Her favored form is the shape of the _kainde amedha_ queen. No Yautja can resist her forever. One day she will take him and he will embrace that day when it comes. The will of the _Paya_ is absolute. One can resist it for a time, but never escape it. Do you understand?"

Luar'ka looked away, trying to wrap her mind around the concept. She ground her teeth together, "Cetanu comes for all, is not to be feared...but must never be surrendered to." she said softly, "Fight her...for as long as you can. Until you can fight no longer. Then, when you know your time has come, go with her willingly...to greet the _Paya_ in honor."

Ikthya'de's upper tusks flared apart in a wide grin at her. His chest swelled with pride at how truly intelligent she was proving to be. He nodded once, reaching out to place his hand on her shoulder, "You have come a long way," he said softly, " And you will continue to grow. Remember what I taught you and never allow your fear to sway you."

"I am Avian in body," she confirmed with a small smile, "But I am Yautja in spirit."

"Correct."

"I have a question, Ikthya'de." she said.

"What is it?"

"You mentioned there is a _kainde amedha_ queen kept on board the ship. This is not the first time I have heard of her presence here. Is it true she is here?" Luar'ka asked, combing through the feathers of her tail.

Ikthya'de stared at her a moment, his eyes narrowed in thought. He rumbled low, his tusks clicking slowly as he finally growled out his answer, "Would you care to see her?"

/ooo/

The main congregational segments of the ship were sequestered in the upper and middle decks, reachable by means of either steps or lifts. These were the floors where the Yautja attended their daily lives. Each varying class of Yautja kept its own space within the enormous ship, only mingling when the need called for it. Within the middle deck, stretching the entire three-quarter length of the ship, the warriors and Hunters kept their chambers, limited to their sparse belongings and somewhat less-sparse collections. That was one thing Luar'ka had noticed about the Yautja in her time with them; whether it be trophies, weapons, or random trinkets, the Yautja in general had a tendency to hoard some of the most erratic collections she'd ever seen in her life.

The main gathering hall was located directly in the heart of the massive ship and Yautja gathered there daily either to replenish energy, morale, or to meet up with brothers and comrades. Or, if they were brave enough to risk severe punishment, they could also hold rivalry battles there if the arguments couldn't wait to be taken to the _kehrite_. Luar'ka understood there were six such rooms aboard the ship, each one larger than the last. The final _kehrite_ was meant almost as a public spectacle chamber meant to observe mass Clan competitions. Ikthya'de explained that such competitions and spars were held before Clan Hunts and _chivas_ as a means of boosting excitement, morale, and the spirit of the Hunt. It was also how members of the Clan were chosen for Clan Hunts, as the strongest warriors would be needed to bring down the largest prey with which to feed the Clan. Usually, the eldest and strongest males took the victory and led the attacks. It didn't happen often, but when a younger male successfully uprooted the claimed title from an Elder as Hunt Leader, it was often a cause of intense uproar and commotion as the young male's honor and rank practically spiked from such an achievement.

This was about all Luar'ka knew about the _Jag'dja'd atoll_. She knew that the small handful of leading females lived on the upper decks, for the most part sequestered entirely from the males. The Matriarch was there as well and kept quarters with her chosen female guards and counselors. This was a vital arrangement, as the general management and overall leadership of the Clan was left under the care of the Matriarch, Ki'vei-ta. Luar'ka had only ever seen her the one time in the _kehrite_. While she kept a close eye indeed on the goings on in the Clan, she apparently rarely came down. Luar'ka was also aware of the servant class of Yautja living in the lower decks of the ship, weaker Yautja who survived _chiva_ , but were physically incapable of climbing any higher in rank. She didn't know where they lived, exactly, but she was instinctively wary of them whenever she came across them. Her few experiences with the _eta_ had not been friendly ones and she got the distinct feeling that they disliked her greatly, perhaps even more than the higher class Hunters and warriors.

As Ikthya'de led her down through the back corridors of the belly of the ship, down hallways so dark she could barely see where she was going, she realized she had no idea where they were anymore. This was further into the belly of the ship than she'd ever been before. There weren't even any portals down here to see out into the darkness of space. They were also heading further back, away from the congregation and toward the tail of the ship. The steps they were descending on suddenly ended and Luar'ka placed her feet on solid pathway, only for her legs to buckle beneath her, sending her tumbling forward. Ikthya'de turned and glanced at her as she disentangled her talons from the grated floor, which turned out to be a narrow pathway hanging over a deep, hollow open space of the ship. Below, she could hear the voices of other Yautja and she saw a soft, bluish glow emanating from below.

"How...?" she muttered.

"We have taken a different way down from normal," Ikthya'de explained, "This is the route the _eta_ traverse in order to perform maintenance. We will receive fewer challenges this way."

"Are you even allowed to bring me down here?" she whispered.

"Unlikely." he answered jovially.

It was weird how breezily he treated breaking what appeared to be a rather serious rule.

Luar'ka moved carefully, trying to keep her talons raised as much as possible while she walked so she didn't snag them again in the holes in the floor of the pathway. She followed her Yautjan brother carefully, keeping a close eye out for any sign of trouble. She still heard other voices nearby and knew there were Yautja in the vicinity, perhaps working on whatever machinery lay below. The dark hours were in effect and many of the weak lights were shut off to allow the Yautja to regulate their sleep in accordance with the rotation of the homeworld. However, there were still a few up and working or making their rounds.

They reached a division in the pathway. The right path led off into the gloom, disappearing quickly from sight. The left one veered toward a main wall separating this room from another. The door beckoned silently, almost like a gate into the deepest abyss imaginable. Ikthya'de opened it and waited a few seconds before proceeding forward with his wary charge in tow. On the other side, Luar'ka was amazed to see that an enormous, curved circular sheet of transparent material made up a gigantic viewing portal spanning the entire length and width of the room. Wide metal pathways wound around all sides of the portal. Not far from them, Luar'ka thought she could see steps leading down into the space. The room was surprisingly cold, much colder than the rest of the ship and as she stepped inside, she felt the rush of air from the door closing and then heard a sharp sucking sound as if it were being sealed shut behind her. She realized it was an atmospheric door, meant to separate the air from this room and keep it from mixing with the air from the rest of the ship. The mist wasn't as heavy here because of the chill and she heard Ikthya'de grumble irritably beside her as a sharp shudder ran through his body at the steep shift in climate. Without the netting, which aside from serving as the base for the cloak, as well as served to regulate the Yautjas' body temperatures in abnormal climates, Ikthya'de felt every bit of the icy chill in this room, his hot breath puffing out in ghostly trails of steam in the air. He tossed his head and motioned her toward the portal, clicking his tusks a few times. Luar'ka eyed him warily. That old familiar tingling was back as her feathers raised from her head and neck in apprehension. She didn't like this place. There was something wrong about this room. She stepped forward, already knowing more or less what to expect as she approached the panel and looked down. It took her eyes a moment to focus in the deep, dark depression in the floor.

Nothing she'd encountered before could have prepared her for what she saw at the base of the pit.

"...hghh..." she gagged in alarm.

She was there, swathed so perfectly in thick shadows that it was hard to tell where she ended and the shadows began. Her entire body took up half of the depression in the hull below them. Barely moving, Luar'ka was able to pick out the Hard Meat Matriarch's enormous head and elegant crown extending down over her back, bowed forward. As her eyes adjusted more to the gloom, she saw the Matriarch's gigantic body, strapped across the abdomen, torso, legs, tail, and arms to thick, spiked chains attached—no, _fused—_ to the walls of her enclosure. Her movements were extremely light, her head swiveling painfully slowly. Running through the inside of her mouth was some kind of gag or harness connected to the same restraints holding her arms aloft and frozen in place. Her breath came out in short, hissing huffs, appearing as dense fogs of steam that dissipated slowly in the cold air. Luar'ka's eyes moved carefully along every inch of the massive creature until she saw that the queen was attached to her enormous egg tube, connected by extensions and chains suspending it in place behind her. However, Luar'ka could see nothing below it that looked like an egg. The floor was empty.

"There are no eggs," she whispered, turning as Ikthya'de came up behind her to look through the panel. He nodded, "Yes, you are correct. It is too dangerous to allow her to be awake and laying constantly like she would do under normal circumstances. What mistakes were made in the distant past, we have learned from and been bettered by," He said cryptically, allowing the implication of this ominous statement to weigh heavily on her a moment before continuing, "This room is cold, uncomfortably so. We keep it this way."

"Why?"

"Normally, this room is kept at freezing temperatures. Only certain Yautja are allowed down here. 'Cetanu' is normally kept in a cryogenic sleep to preserve her. As you can see, she is in a half-wakened state. Soon, she will awaken fully and begin laying again. This is when the _eta_ who are down here will face a great challenge and a chance to prove their honor."

Luar'ka frowned, "What do you mean?"

"The _eta_ working in here are specially trained. Even they have a caste system and their strongest sect performs this duty. When Cetanu awakens, they will have the task of retrieving some of the eggs she lays and freezing them for transport."

"But how?" Luar'ka asked, "She will guard them."

Ikthya'de's eyes narrowed, "I have said the strongest of the _eta_ handle this task. Normally, these lower chambers are guarded well by the _eta._ I have brought you down here now because of the shift in habit. As we speak, they are fighting for control of the most important duty in the entire process. Winner takes all." he said quietly. Luar'ka was silent a moment, looking out toward the queen and grinding her teeth. She sighed, squaring her shoulders as she understood the only meaning Ikthya'de could be referring to and wishing for her to decipher on her own, "The strongest will have the task of distracting her, of fighting her while the others retrieve the eggs. With no grown offspring, she will be fighting alone. And he will be forbidden from killing her." Luar'ka whispered.

"And thus, he will meet the _Paya_ ," Ikthya'de continued solemnly, "He will be granted the utmost honor by dying at the jaws of Cetanu herself. She will personally escort him to the pantheon."

Now she understood. The _eta_ had very little honor. Looking after the _kainde amedha_ queen was one of their many assignments. However, the task of retrieving the eggs was crucial toward _chiva_ for youngsters, as the eggs needed to be gathered and then placed at the trial sites in order to create the challenge of the _kainde amedha,_ the ultimate prey. The _eta_ would fight to claim the honor of facing Cetanu head on, a privilege very few Blooded males ever attained.

This truly was a big event.

She jumped at the sound of roars further off in the distance. Ikthya'de glanced in that direction, humming in the back of his throat, "It would seem we have a victor." he said quietly, "We had best leave now, Luar'ka. She will soon awaken, anyhow."

Luar'ka cast one final look at the queen as her head slowly swiveled back and forth, her body awakening sluggishly and rigidly. Soon, she would be at full strength and it would be dangerous to be in the vicinity. Luar'ka left the panel, following her brother back out through the maze of corridors up to the relative safety of the upper floors. She didn't relax until they made it back to the main interior of the ship when her presence wouldn't be questioned as much. Even so, Ikthya'de did his best to avoid crowds of other Yautja since Luar'ka was still quite small. Standing at just over five feet, she was fast, but not experienced enough yet to handle the full-on challenges she was sure to receive before too long.

Back aboard the shuttle, awaiting further instruction, Luar'ka practiced her language studies with Ikthya'de, finding it difficult to concentrate. Kar'kha and Than'ja were busy handling the supplies they'd need for the expedition to earth and Thwei'ja was nowhere to be seen. By this point in time, Luar'ka was used to him disappearing. She couldn't get her mind off of what she'd seen in the bowels of the ship, of the mother of the _kainde amedha_ , restrained and sedated, held captive by the Yautja.

"Ikthya'de," she said, pausing as she scrolled through the texts, "You called her Cetanu. Why? Is she really Cetanu?" she said in reference to the queen. Ikthya'de clicked his tusks in regard to her, chittering softly, "She is not, no. Not in the physical sense. However, it is what she represents that is important. When Cetanu comes to claim a warrior, she takes the form of the _kainde amedha_ bearer. Their Matriarch. And she cannot be defeated. This is what I spoke of to you, earlier."

Luar'ka felt like she understood, and having fought the _kainde amedha_ firsthand and survived, she thought she'd seen them in their entirety. She'd never imagined something like their Matriarch could exist. But when she stopped to think about it, this summed up her entire life prior to a year ago. Before, she'd never have imagined the Yautja existing. Now, she couldn't picture a life without them. She knew that her life of relative seclusion in their society could only last so long. Soon, she'd be exposed to the true nature of their existence. And with the knowledge of what they carried on board the ship, her respect for them only deepened. Her feathers flared and she sighed restlessly. She raised her eyes to him and he cocked his head curiously.

"Enough studying," she said, "I wish to spar."

He considered her carefully, his tusks clacking in thought. He nodded once, getting to his feet and backing up a short ways, "As you wish."

/ooo/

"I do not see how this concerns me."

Thwei'ja wasn't too thrilled about being summoned to Sechinde's quarters before he was due to leave for _N'-ithya_ with the others. Three other packs were being sent there as well. He was supposed to coordinate their predetermined locations with them so that their terrains wouldn't overlap during the mission. This impromptu meeting was taking up valuable time. He watched his sire as he moved about his chambers, preparing his own gear for a separate Hunting trip. The time for _chiva_ drew near and the chosen Unbloods were preparing themselves. Sechinde was to oversee their tests.

"It concerns you highly," he answered without looking at him, "You lead that pack. The Avian is a member of that pack. Therefore, she is your underling."

"I care nothing for her status."

"No one has ordered you to. However, she is the responsibility of your pack. I fail to see why you did not end her life once she had discovered our presence."

There was nothing Thwei'ja could argue with the counter that. He honestly _should_ have killed the Avian long before now, but he hadn't. He remained silent, eyes glued to the floor. Sechinde continued, "Ki'vei-ta is of the mind to consider killing her herself." he said, "If she orders such an edict, there will be nothing your pack will be able to do. Do you believe she is worth killing?"

Thwei'ja's eyes narrowed, his mandibles working feverishly a moment. He sighed, the sound rattling from deep within his throat, "She is not worth the effort to kill. She is still too young to pose a threat and her skills do not qualify her as an honorable trophy."

"I seem to recall you speaking in her defense during the last meeting you attended with the Matriarch."

"She has since earned a lowly place in the pack." Thwei'ja admitted, albeit grudgingly, "She can now be challenged, if a Hunter sees fit to do so."

Sechinde rumbled deeply in thought, straightening up and fastening his mask to his face. It was a sharp-edged mask, tipped with razor-edged points reaching back beneath his eye slits. He strode past Thwei'ja, "The choice remains to be yours,"

He departed and Thwei'ja left soon after, feeling unpleasantly angry. He made his way back to his ship, his thoughts muddled. While it was indeed true that she rarely caused him trouble anymore, he was still annoyed for the fact that she was in his general vicinity.

He arrived back at his ship in the docking bay. His pack was just finishing up preparations. He could see the Avian scuttling about around the ship, checking for breaches of any kind. Ikthya'de followed her progress and instructed her on what to look for.

They glanced up at his approach and he growled deep in his chest as he moved past them. He noticed that the Avian kept her head down as he passed her. It seemed she learned from previous times. He stared hard at her for a moment, his lower mandibles slightly slack in a mild show of aggression. It was an unconscious movement, an action he did naturally toward whatever it was that bothered him. He caught this reflex and ceased it, now just glaring at her. She kept her head down, but her feathers began to raise slowly in agitation. He was surprised to see that as they rose, they began to glow bright hues of colors as she apparently flushed blood through them. He turned away then, moving inside the ship to prepare for launch.

He had no choice in the matter as to whether or not the Avian was placed in his pack. She was relegated to the same status as _eta_ in his eyes, but she didn't seem bothered by it. He'd been surprised when he'd learned that she seemed to be thriving under daily training in the _kehrite,_ not to mention the fact that Me'vi-te hadn't been entirely nonplussed about the fight he'd engaged her in the year before. Thwei'ja wasn't sure anymore. He only saw the oddity of having such a weird creature in his pack, especially on a mission like the one they were embarking on. But he supposed it had its benefits. The Avian was _from_ _N'-ithya_ after all. Perhaps her memories of her encounters with the _kainde amedha_ would serve them well in some way. Not to mention the times she'd proven her high intellect with her quick mastery of not only the Yautjan language, but two other languages, besides.

As he heard them board the ship, he made up his mind to tolerate her for a short while longer. By the time they returned, he'd have more important things to worry about, anyway. _Chiva_ was upon the Clan and when they made the return trip to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ , it would be well on its way to the traditional Hunting grounds chosen for this batch of Unbloods. The Avian would have enough to deal with then, when tensions in the Clan would be at an all-time high.

He put these thoughts out of his mind as he put the ship through its launch preparations. It was time to focus on the Hunt, now.

A/N: So, apology time. I've been so busy, my head is spinning. Schoolwork, family coming to visit, writing, and to top it all off, we're moving to a new house after twelve years. Just a little bit hectic. But I'll try to be more regular with the next update. The actual move happens next week so things should start settling down within a week or two. Anyway, read, enjoy and review!


	24. Twenty-Four

Twenty-Four

"Is this a permanent pack?"

Luar'ka was sitting with Kar'kha in his chamber aboard the ship, learning how to properly care for and clean weapons. She used a soft piece of soft leather to rub a special oil onto the blade to prevent rust from forming. The leather also served a double purpose of protecting her hands from injury, but also sharpening the blade edges. Kar'kha was applying the same care to the more complex wrist blades on his bracer and looked up at her question, "What?"

"The four of you. And me, I suppose. Are we a permanent Hunting pack or is this just a temporary formation?"

Kar'kha rumbled deeply in thought, "I have only been Blooded for six seasons and have Hunted with Than'ja and Ikthya'de for four seasons. They have been Blooded warriors for twenty-eight seasons. Thwei'ja took over Leadership of this pack three seasons ago when our former Leader was killed on a Hunt. The formation may change, but I do not see this occurring for some time."

"I see. You have known Thwei'ja for a long time, then."

"He was Hunt Brothers with my sire. I have known of him for a long time."

"I do not believe he approves of my presence."

Kar'kha wasn't sure how to respond to this. Luar'ka was an enigma that the majority of the Clan didn't appear to approve of. They didn't seem to view her as a threat of any sort, more of a nuisance instead. It had been made more than obvious in the past that Thwei'ja clearly held this opinion. He had been under the impression that this didn't appear to bother her. He wasn't sure why her opinion would change now of all times. He'd seen her go through plenty of changes since the night he'd found her in the forest. But he had the distinct feeling that whatever he could say to her observation of Thwei'ja just wouldn't suffice the way she wanted—or needed—it to. He settled on the obvious; "Thwei'ja is very old, _mei'jadhi._ He is an Elite. It will not be much longer before his status as an Elder is secured. His sire will soon become known as an Ancient, or so I am told."

"An Ancient?"

"There have not been any Ancient Yautja in our Clan in many generations." Kar'kha said thoughtfully, "For Sechinde to become the first in so long a time is a great accomplishment. I would imagine that Thwei'ja will fill his place from there. However, it cannot be said that Thwei'ja disregards you. Were that the case, you would not be sitting here with me right now."

"Really." she stated, clearly disbelieving of this statement. Kar'kha chuffed in annoyance, "If he chooses, Thwei'ja will not hesitate to kill you, should you cross him."

Given her state of mind during their first few days together, Kar'kha still expected her to some extent to react with fear at such a statement. He braced for the sharp, unsettling scent of fear he expected from her.

"I would fight for my life. But I would accept his victory." Luar'ka said instead. She returned to her task, delicately and deftly cleaning the blade of the knife she held, her eyes focused and downcast. She didn't see the consternation cross through his mandibles as they pulled close to his mouth, comprehending her answer. While he was undeniably proud of her and the shift in mindset she'd begun to develop, so closely resembling their own, he simultaneously found it so strange how similar she was becoming to them. This was something he was certain no Yautja had ever seen before; a creature of another race assimilating so closely into their kind. A creature so similar to them in so many ways, but so incredibly different in others.

"Then there is nothing more to concern yourself with." he said simply. He reached over and took the knife she held, its blade now gleaming in the low light. He stood up and moved to the wall where his weapons of choice hung, patiently awaiting times of use. He replaced the blade to a small bracket and reached over to take down one of his long blades, moving back over to her and handing it to her delicately. She took it carefully, eying him curiously as she turned and began to clean the blade as she had done for the small knife. Watching her, Kar'kha considered her statements made to him, his head dipping as he realized he'd been unable to truly answer any of them. He didn't know the answers. There were occasionally times when he fell prey to that unstable thinking of the Youngblood Yautja. He was fortunate in one sense; his brothers, supportive as they could be, were brutal when it came to shaping his way of thinking. Many Youngbloods spent their first few decades after Blooding believing that they'd already experienced all there was to see. They were dangerous, hot-blooded and vicious. It took many fights, many grievous injuries, many blows to the honor and the pride to finally calm them down, make them see reason. Kar'kha was one of the few Youngbloods in his generation who never had much of an aggressive stage. He had his brothers to thank for this, having been trained alongside them when he was young, helping to shape his personality. He'd still been an Unblood when they took their _Chiva_ and returned as Blooded warriors. But even so, he knew that he was still far too young, far too inexperienced, and now, having an apprentice underfoot served as a daily reminder of how pathetically naïve he still was as a young Yautja. _This_ part he owed to Luar'ka as she forced him to answer questions she had about the new life he'd practically dragged her into. If there had ever been a time when he understood how desperately he needed to grow and learn more, it was now.

Most of all, he didn't fully understand _her_. And he wondered if this could ever change.

/ooo/

Between training sessions with her brothers and self-training sessions to strengthen her wings, Luar'ka waited patiently. Day by day traveling through space, she counted the hours carefully. Sitting in her room, she repaired the hide straps of her loincloth, fluffing her feathers in and out while she worked and using the time and the activity to sort out her thoughts. She swished her tail unconsciously, feeling the dull ache its growing pains produced as it slowly lengthened. Every year, she'd gain a few inches on her tail until she was fully grown and it reached its final length of about six feet, the typical length for Avian tails. It was already improving her balance drastically when she walked and she found she moved more quietly now than she had before.

She paused when she heard snarling at the far end of the corridor, toward the cargo area and armory. The main hatchway was located here, as well as the operating station for the air filters that kept the Yautjan occupants comfortable. Curious, she replaced her loincloth about her waist, fastening the ties, and stood up, moving toward the door. She stepped out, following the sounds of the growls as she moved into the gloomy hallway, making her way slowly and carefully toward the main entryway. She approached warily, peering into the wide, circular room. The decorated pillars stood dark in the gloom and she approached one as she stepped inside the wide space. She found the source of the growls; Ikthya'de was sparring with Than'ja, taking advantage of the wide area to move quickly around one another, looking for openings without risking too much damage to either themselves or the equipment close by. Thwei'ja kept his various trophies in this room, since the ship did in fact belong to him. The twins were careful to avoid that wall as they scuffled, each trying to pin the other in some fashion and grappling to get in a good hit. Luar'ka stood off to the side and watched, studying their movements. She recalled what Ikthya'de had told her about her speed and agility being her greatest weapons. She knew she could never match up to the Yautja in strength. There was just no way. But she would soon be faster than even the _kainde amedha,_ and the Yautja, while quick, were not built to be fast like she was. A single hit would bring her down and most likely end a fight right then and there, but her opponent would have to _catch_ her, first.

Ikthya'de ducked to avoid a swipe from his brother and used his momentum to grab onto Than'ja, knocking him back off his feet and hurtling him to the ground with a sickening thud. The mist, at its heaviest in this room to account for the main exit, scattered in enormous puffs as Than'ja went down with a clicking snarl of frustration.

Ikthya'de chose then to acknowledge her presence, looking over at her with a wide smirk etched across his mandibles. It made him look both comical and disturbing all at once. He was clearly a bit of a show off and seemed to take great satisfaction in her having witnessed his victory over his older brother. Luar'ka returned the gesture with a flash of her teeth and chuckled, moving forward, "Good match," she said, "How about letting me take part?"

"Grow another head taller and we will see." Ikthya'de teased, shoving her playfully. Knowing she couldn't match his strength, she elbowed him sharply in the gut, making him grunt briefly. It didn't hurt him of course, but it was enough for him to feel.

Than'ja heaved himself to his feet, his mandibles tucked close against his face as he chuffed lightly, "I was careless." he said.

"That is certainly a surprise," Ikthya'de quipped, "Perhaps I am getting better."

"Or I am becoming clumsier." Than'ja grumbled, "Perhaps Thwei'ja was right. I should devote more time to training when I can."

Luar'ka snarled softly, earning their attention down to her, "If you would consider me a fit sparring partner, I could assist you with that endeavor." she snapped, eying him angrily. She flashed her teeth again to show her irritation. On reflex to her shifting mood toward aggression, Than'ja began to purr softly and Luar'ka was forced to let her anger fizzle. She sighed, "Stop it." she growled. She'd noticed they'd begun to do that around her more frequently. It was almost the same as the ways they moved carefully around Yautja females. Perhaps they were showing caution around her due to her status as a developing female simply through instinct telling them to do so. She wondered if that would last and wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"You are too small to spar efficiently as yet." Than'ja told her, "Even Younglings your size are forbidden from the _kehrite_ until they have grown."

"I am no Youngling."

"Youngsters of similar age still hold residence with their bearers, _Mei'jadhi_." he reminded her sternly, "You are still a Youngling."

"But my kind grows much faster than yours." she protested, "I will be fully grown in three cycles' time."

"And we shall see when that time comes."

The brothers moved past her and Luar'ka clenched her fists angrily. On one hand, she appreciated being treated the same as any Yautjan youngster by her brothers, meaning they held enough respect for her to do so. But on the other hand, she knew she was more than capable of holding her own in a spar, and against a grown adult no less. In any event, she knew that it was something she'd eventually have to face, especially with the constant threat of Warkha stalking her every opportunity he got. Her confrontation with him on _Illmianyar_ hadn't left her mind. It was the fuel for what drove her to do what she prepared herself to do. She flared her feathers, whirled and sprinted over to Ikthya'de, jumping up on his back and punching him hard on the shoulder, making him jolt and snarl in surprise. She jumped back down, stepping away from him as he and Than'ja turned, eying her with a combination of bewilderment, confusion, and admiration. Ikthya'de looked over at his twin and the two of them exchanged hushed clicks of discussion for a moment. Their gazes refocused on their adoptive sister, who stood with her legs slightly spread apart, her tail held aloft and her arms held defensively at her sides, her posture hunched just as she'd been taught. She eyed them fiercely from beneath her feathers, baring her teeth at them.

A clear, indisputable challenge.

Ikthya'de stamped forward, flaring his mandibles widely and roared viciously at her. He had accepted her challenge. He took up a defensive stance and eyed her, judging to see whether or not she'd take the first move. Luar'ka grinned at him and watched in satisfaction as the stiff spines along his forehead rose upright in reflex to her gesture. She already had a plan.

She shrieked and dove to the side, vanishing into the thick mists coagulating along the floor. She heard Ikthya'de snort in surprise at her actions. Luar'ka was small enough and light enough that to move beneath the mist gave her a good cover without shifting too heavily and the mist served to hide her heat signature. She would never be strong enough to spar head on with a Yautja, so it was now time to practice her stealth. She moved swiftly through the mist, passing Than'ja as she did. As she expected, he noticed her, but didn't move. Beyond the soft snort he made as he caught her scent, he made no sign of his knowledge of her whereabouts, nor any intent to alert his brother, now searching carefully along the floor. Luar'ka heard Ikthya'de scenting the air, seeking her out with his other finely tuned senses. Luar'ka crouched in the mist off to his side, watching him carefully as he followed her scent. Luar'ka yanked out a small handful of lingering down from her head and dropped it to the floor, moving off away from it and around her brother as he unknowingly followed the scent of the down. She did this a few times, leaving two or three false scent trails around the room with her feathers, coated in natural oils secreted through her skin to keep them clean. When she heard him snarl angrily under his breath, she knew her ruse was working. The mist was warm and hid her body heat from his piercing gaze. She'd learned to move as silently as they did, understanding that with her size being her biggest disadvantage, that patience was her friend. However, she knew it wouldn't be long before he picked out the strongest scent trail and traced it to her as she braced nearby the trophy wall. She crept away from it, slinking up beside her brother as he searched. He detected her at the last second as she launched herself out of the mist and onto his side, clamping her jaws down over his arm as he brought it up to defend his exposed neck. Her teeth sank deep and she shrieked as he reached out to grab her, jabbing his claws down into her shoulder and ripping her off of him. He hurled her across the room with a snarl and she twisted in midair and met the wall with her strong feet and legs, pushing off and landing on all fours on the floor. She let out a low, clicking rumble eerily similar to theirs as she skirted quickly around the room, taking full advantage of her size as Ikthya'de growled warningly, once again forced to painstakingly search for her. Luar'ka matched his movements, her eyes narrowing as she watched him carefully. The second his back turned, she charged forward, moving near soundlessly as she leaped onto his back and grabbed a fistful of his tendrils as he veered backward and snarled viciously at her. But it was too late. Before he could grab her, she lunged forward and clamped her jaws down around the soft underside of his neck, digging her talons into his back for support as she did so. Ikthya'de huffed drily, his arms dropping to his sides as a low rumble escaped him.

"I yield." he grumbled. It was only a spar, but she'd compromised one of his critical points. Had this been a real fight, and had she been a little older with fully erupted adult teeth, she could have easily torn his throat out. Instead, she'd only pressed the tips of her teeth against his skin, enough to tell him of their dangerous presence, but not enough to cause harm.

Luar'ka was about to pull away when Ikthya'de suddenly grabbed her by her tail, holding her screeching and writhing form aloft as he leered at her, "Good match. However, you will not always have the privilege of cover. Remember this."

Even through the defiant glare on her face, he watched as she considered his words and nodded in resolution. He dropped her and moved off to join his brother, standing at the edge of the corridor. Luar'ka hurried forward to join them, walking behind them as they made their way further into the ship. Than'ja glanced back at her, "That was quite foolish, _Mei'jadhi_." he admonished, "You are not fully grown. To challenge an adult Yautja is unwise."

Luar'ka hummed softly, "I am aware. He got my hackles up." she said.

"Irrelevant." Than'ja said, "Go and assist Ikthya'de with the equipment. It is not much longer before we arrive."

"Yes, Than'ja." she said.

She stood with Ikthya'de while the eldest brother moved off down the corridor, vanishing into one of the other chambers. She sighed, "I suppose that was a bit reckless." she admitted.

"It was." he agreed, "Be grateful that it was only I whom you decided to challenge. You are not skilled enough to fight a true battle."

"Then why did you agree to fight me?"

He didn't answer her as he led her into the armory in a small, circular room off of the main entryway, shutting the door behind them. The light was very low in this room and Luar'ka watched his form as he slowly moved into the center. He froze, standing by the racks holding each of their masks. Luar'ka watched him carefully, feeling her feathers raise from caution as his scent suddenly changed. However, she couldn't tell what this new scent meant.

A deep growl reverberated from him suddenly and he whirled around, moving faster than she was prepared for. He snatched her throat, slamming her back against the wall behind her and cutting off her trachea, preventing her from making any noise. She started to flail angrily, trying to slash at him with her claws, but he pressed himself in close to her, pinning her legs' movement and grabbed her other wrist with his free hand, twisting it painfully. His grip around her throat loosened just enough to allow her to breathe, but not enough to release her. She opened her eyes and shuddered in fear at his face as he leaned down above her, flaring his mandibles with a snarl, revealing his sharp teeth. Different as they were from the faces she'd grown up with back on Earth, the faces of the Yautja never really bothered her too much. However, she was readily able and willing to admit that they could be absolutely terrifying when they wanted to be and for the first time, she found herself genuinely afraid of Ikthya'de. Normally so laid back, calm and grounded, this was a side of him she'd foolishly allowed herself to forget existed. Than'ja had told her stories of his ferocity hidden beneath his somewhat careless exterior, but she'd never fully believed it. Now, she did. The look in his eyes was venomous and she felt her blood run cold in terror. As he drew ever nearer, his pointed tusks grazing roughly against her face, leaving angry, stinging scratches in their wake, she instinctively pulled her head back away from his, a task made difficult by his iron grip on her neck and his claws pricking through her skin, drawing blood. Unprepared and unsure what he was doing, Luar'ka slipped and allowed herself to feel afraid, her heart pounding viciously in her chest. When he caught the scent of her fear spiking, he let out a deafening roar and closed his fist around her neck, cutting off her air. Having already had little air in her lungs from her fear, Luar'ka quickly blacked out and fell limp in his grasp.

When she awoke again, she was lying on her side on the floor of the armory. She felt light-headed and dizzy, and her heart continued to throb painfully in her chest. Groaning, she raised her head and quickly noticed Ikthya'de sitting quietly behind her, legs crossed and back slightly hunched over. He watched her silently, his breathing so light it could barely be heard. When she moaned and tried to sit up, he chuffed slightly and reached out to offer his arm for support. Unable to balance, she braced herself against his arm and worked herself into a sitting position in front of him. He drew his arm back and blinked slowly, ticking his mandibles together thoughtfully. She didn't speak or look at him for several minutes, and when she finally brought herself to meet his gaze, she felt severe shame wash over her. She didn't need to ask why he'd attacked her so viciously. The meaning was obvious and she knew it.

"Forgive me..." she mumbled, bowing her head submissively, "I was foolish."

"Yes, you were." he agreed stonily, "However, it cannot be said that the fault is entirely yours, _Gyun'r Mei'jadhi_. The blame falls partially on myself and Than'ja and Kar'kha."

"How can I expect to live among your kind when I allow myself to forget what you are?" she whispered, "I am little more than prey in your eyes. I cannot change this."

"This is not entirely true. You have proven your worth in many ventures, Luar'ka. You must never forget what the Yautja are and what many believe you to be. My hope is that my demonstration has solidified this within your mind."

Her mind flashed back to shortly before when she'd felt so entirely afraid of him as he boxed her in and looked at her with such violence and predatory malice. She swallowed thickly, "I believe it has. May I ask you a question, _mei'hswei_?"

He purred in response and she looked away, "Of the Yautja aboard this ship, even above Kar'kha, you not only tolerate my presence, but you seem avidly interested in my survival and my knowledge. You showed this early on. Why?"

She was starting to grasp that the three brothers were very eccentric in their acceptance of her, though they showed it in varying ways. She was also starting to see how abnormal it was to accept a creature like her, something meant to be prey being treated as one who could one day be equal. Ikthya'de rumbled softly, his head tilting slightly as he considered his answer, "I am fascinated by you, _mei'jadhi_ ," he replied, "You are a living relic of bygone times in our history. You are so very different from us in many ways, but so very alike. There is no proper way to describe it. Many of my brethren would disagree with me and consider you little more than prey. As for the three of us, you may or may not be aware. Than'ja, Kar'kha and myself were all trained by Me'vi-te personally, and our sire has gained a reputation for being quite odd in his ways."

"I believe I may have heard that," she said, "But I do not believe I know why."

"We were once three of roughly twenty pups sired by Me'vi-te over the many seasons of his life. However, the _Paya_ have not blessed his bloodline. All but the three of us and two female offspring have met Cetanu. He attributed this misfortune to poor training and made up his mind to train future pups himself. Me'vi-te is...odd by Yautjan standards. His methods are as effective as they are abnormal. Than'ja and I were taught by him to appreciate our prey as much as the Hunt itself. For there would be no Hunt without the prey and our chosen targets deserve our respect."

"I see...so this is why the three of you accepted me. You were all different from the very start. I was fortunate, I guess." she muttered, "And what about Thwei'ja? Why does he accept me even though he despises me?"

"He does not deem you worth the effort to kill." Ikthya'de said with a shrug. Luar'ka scoffed at this and looked away, hissing in pain as she did so. She reached up to feel gently around her neck. Her skin was sensitive and hot to the touch. She could tell he'd bruised her badly when he'd strangled her. There was dried blood caked to her skin as well from where his claws had pierced her. She sighed, "Please save me the trouble of explaining these to Than'ja, will you?" she asked. She flopped down on her back, spreading her wings out beneath her.

"He knows," Ikthya'de explained, "I informed him that I would be the one to demonstrate your blindness to you. He will expect your injuries."

"So it was either you or Than'ja to teach me this lesson? Well, thank you both for refraining from overwhelming me, then." she grumbled, "When do we arrive?"

Ikthya'de bristled at the abrupt change of subject and flared his lower mandibles in irritation, "By the next rotation, we will begin atmospheric entry."

"And where are we due to touch down?"

"Our ordained coordinates are confined in the northern hemisphere, near where we found you, actually. The highest concentration of _kainde amedha_ was centralized in that area. We are going to Hunt down the nest and exterminate it."

Her eyes narrowed, "Will I be permitted to take part in the Hunt?"

Ikthya'de regarded her silently a moment, his tusks ticking together in thought as the pupils in his eyes deflated. He rumbled deeply, "Perhaps. You would not be permitted within the nest itself, however I believe it would be no problem for you to accompany the Hunt. There will be two other scouting groups working in tandem with us. They were already in the area and have most likely arrived already."

Luar'ka went silent for a while, staring at the ceiling, "I see. I look forward to the Hunt, _mei'hswei_." she mumbled.

Ikthya'de caught the dark undertone in her voice, cocking his head and narrowing his eyes in suspicion. However, he said nothing on the matter.

"Return to your chamber, for now." he instructed her, "Wait until further notice."

Luar'ka got to her feet, moving soundlessly toward the door. She glanced back at Ikthya'de one more time, a dubious and somewhat confused look on her face as she did. As she expected, he showed no outward emotion or thought on his expressionless face, beyond his mandibles tucked close against his mouth. And as she expected, her own expressions had no impact on whatever his thoughts were.

She'd long since gotten used to it.

Ikthya'de watched her leave, still seated on the floor. The smell of her blood still hung in the air, and the claws on his right hand were bathed in the scent. Memories of his talks with Than'ja over the delicate nature of her body returned to his mind and he recalled how absurdly light she felt in his grasp, as if she might break with even the slightest touch. The thought made him uncomfortable, tearing him between his two mindsets of Hunting and studying. Despite his fondness for her, some part of his brain was still hardwired to view her as prey and he fought this thought process every day, reminding himself that she was much more than mere prey. Even so, he also reminded himself that she had needed to learn the severe misjudgment she'd made. Any other Yautja would have snapped her neck. The sheer force of will and control he'd employed to overpower his instincts and simply bruise her fragile neck had nearly drained him. He'd learned something from this whole incident as well.

Luar'ka was more fragile than he'd ever believed.

/ooo/

It was easy to comprehend how much she still needed to learn. She contemplated this and other facts as she sat in her room on her fur pallet, eyes closed, back pressed against the cool metal of the ship, her mind deep in meditation. While learning the skills of the Hunt and the life of the Yautja, Luar'ka learned that her mind needed to be kept clear and focused at all times. However, in order to maintain this delicate balance, she also had to learn to periodically shut her mind off. This was actually even harder. She focused on her breathing, on grounding every square inch of her body and relaxing her form, submitting to the calm and the peace within her mind. She'd initially found it difficult to believe, but the Yautja practiced similar meditation techniques to clear their own minds, mostly limited to the sparse free time they found in between daily tasks and the Hunt. In the last few months, she'd practiced with Than'ja once he'd wound down his work for the day. Now, she meditated alone, thinking on her brief altercation with Ikthya'de and contemplating her mistakes. He had been entirely correct in attacking her. She'd foolishly allowed herself to slip and feel at ease around them. No matter how friendly they could be toward her, or how open to her questions and eager to give answers, no matter how they appeared to accept her, she could never be allowed to forget. They were predators of higher status to her prey birthright, a birthright she was confident she would one day shirk free of. She too was a predator in her own right and naturally surpassed the Yautja in many aspects. But while still so young, she was intensely vulnerable. Her focus could never be dropped, even while she slept.

She took this opportunity now to drift into a light sleep, curled up on her ragged fur pallet and feeling the vibrations of the engine through the hull of the ship. She thumped her tail softly against the floor in thought, eyed half-shut as she allowed her mind to drift, while still keeping her focus on the atmosphere around her. She instantly awoke when the door slid open and one of the others came in, moving completely noiselessly. She remained perfectly still, watching as Thwei'ja rummaged through the storage containers holding his discarded gear and weapons. In the darkness, it was difficult to see him properly at first, but Luar'ka's eyes adjusted swiftly and she watched him silently. Her head raised, causing him to pause and glance over toward her. He didn't spare a second look as he returned to his task, pulling out a broken bracer. Luar'ka knew that Thwei'ja would probably notice that she'd been rummaging through the assorted equipment. However, aside from examining it, she'd left it all alone. She realized he had come to see this when his head raised and his lower mandibles loosened from his face slightly, a low growl emanating from his chest. Luar'ka lowered her head, averting her eyes in clear submission. While she was still so young and small, this was her best defense against angered adult Yautja, especially those who already disliked her greatly. Thwei'ja, his irritation mollified, straightened up, the bracer clutched in his hand as he turned away, leaving as silently as he'd appeared. Luar'ka waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps before getting to her feet, padding silently out into the corridor. She could hear nothing, only the soft rumbles of the engine, deceptively silent despite its tremendous power.

She felt restless. She wanted to move, wanted to run, to do anything to ease the growing anxiety. This wasn't fear, this was anticipation. She had often seen the Unbloods in the _kehrite_ enduring similar duress and she knew there was little to be done for it. The only thing she could do was simply remain as patient as possible. And even that wasn't enough.

Thwei'ja was very irritable right now. To wander the ship and risk running into him guaranteed injury of some kind and he was strong enough to kill her without even trying. Luar'ka knew she had no choice right then but to return to her chamber in the storeroom and wait until atmospheric descent.

She settled back onto her pallet and laid down with a sigh, curling her tail up in front of her face as she closed her eyes.

It seemed they'd only been closed for but a moment when she suddenly snapped awake. Nightmare? Something wrong? No. Something felt different. The ship's engines had suddenly grown louder. She scrambled to a kneeling position, her legs bent back beneath her as she turned groggily to the window. Her eyes struggling to adjust as she was suddenly bombarded with light, she ground her teeth in discomfort, shielding her eyes from the light of the nearby star and squinting out the portal.

She inhaled sharply in surprise before calming. It was like a repeat of when she was taken away from the earth the year before. She held her hand up to the portal, watching as the ship was steered toward the planet. But this time, she wasn't content with sitting and watching, nor was she a prisoner amidst the Yautja. Nerves and Thwei'ja be damned by _Cetanu_ , Luar'ka shot to her feet and bolted to the door. She opened it and proceeded quickly to the cockpit. The males were already assembled and at their stations. Luar'ka felt her heart pounding in trepidation as she moved inside the cockpit, her light footsteps gaining their attention. Ikthya'de and Than'ja both looked up, but said nothing. Kar'kha stared at her intently, as if gauging her movements. Thwei'ja turned from his place at command and his eyes darkened. His mandibles loosened slowly and flared widely as his snarl deepened, baring his frighteningly sharp teeth at her as he stood and faced her. Luar'ka bared her own teeth defiantly, but kept her head down as she stepped back slightly. She was submitting to his clear dominance, but was unwilling to back down entirely. She knew her place and was entirely willing to fight to remain in that place. As a part of this pack, she had a right to watch the landing and she wasn't going to let Thwei'ja bully her out of this miniscule right. Her head bowed, her feathers drooped, she maintained as much respect as she could before this intimidating, powerful Yautja, easily angered and likely more than willing to snap her neck if she stepped out of line. However, even with this show of defiance, she maintained her position as the least of them. Thwei'ja saw this. The resulting pause felt far longer than it was. He stared her down, his tusks ticking together absently.

His mandibles tucked back against his face and his bunched muscles relaxed slightly as he turned back to the controls, casting her from his mind for the time being. Luar'ka relaxed, straightening up as she glanced at Ikthya'de, watching her quietly from his position. After a pointed look, he turned away, focusing on his task. Luar'ka said nothing, moving over to the portal to watch as the earth drew closer and closer. The magnificent planet spun silently in the black void that had become her home and she saw the sparkling, shimmering hue that was the atmosphere. They came in at a shallow angle, the ship began to rattle and shake viciously as they entered the atmosphere of earth. Luar'ka watched with disinterest as the flames engulfed the ship, the burning white hot light illuminating her face and feathers. Her tail swished lazily behind her as she stared out into the furious energy surrounding them. When they finally broke through, the speed of the ship reduced dramatically and the engines roared as they rocketed through the sky. Luar'ka just stared out the portal, oblivious of Kar'kha's silent observation of her.

Miles were eaten up in no time as they sped across the sky, crossing the inland sea in a very short time indeed. A coastline appeared, flanked near the water by lush, vibrant trees and rainforest that quickly gave way to arid, dusty desert. The ship lost altitude and speed as it drew nearer to the surface of the earth and a thick wave of crackling blue static swept over the ship as the cloak was activated. Luar'ka continued to watch, keeping an eye out for what she knew she would see from this side of the shuttle. Before long, the great sandstone spire came into view, far off in the distance. They appeared to be landing much further from it than before, but she kept track of its basic position, watching as the ship angled sharply and swung around, veering swiftly toward a clearing amidst a dense outcropping of dry, dead trees on the outskirts of the desert. Luar'ka's stomach jumped at the sudden shift in momentum as they came to a jarring, but gentle halt in the air and hovered for a moment before lowering to the ground. For the first time in many, many rotations, the engines went silent and the ship was still. Luar'ka tore herself away from the portal as her brothers prepared to gear up and head out. They already knew the details of the mission. There was a nest in this area that needed to be eliminated. Luar'ka checked the straps on her shoulder plates and turned, following Ikthya'de to the armory. He was finishing up strapping on his chest plates and glanced down at her as she approached. He checked to make sure her shoulder plates were fully secured before taking his helmet down from the rack. Than'ja appeared to be suiting up as well, and Kar'kha was finishing up nearby, fixing his mask to his face and connecting the hoses to his filtration system attached to the mounted pack on his back. The plasmaburner on his shoulder swiveled back and forth as he manipulated the controls inside the mask with his tusks, testing their functionality.

Luar'ka looked up as Than'ja approached her and handed her a short bladed knife in a holster. She took it confidently and strapped it to her thigh for easy access.

Thwei'ja approached them, dressed in much more worn and weathered armor than the brothers. His armor had as many dents, nicks, and scrapes as his body had scars. It was clear by this point though, that he took as much pride in his aged armor as he did his many trophies and injuries. He carried a combistick strapped to his back beneath the fuel pack for his burner, as well as what appeared to be a net gun attached to his right bracer. His rank and advanced age allowed for more complex and powerful weaponry than that of the brothers, who carried their wrist bracers and burners only. The brothers immediately paid him their attention as he stood before them.

"Our reports show that the nest is miniscule as yet. Whether or not a queen is present is unclear. We are to completely clean out whatever is currently present within the nest."

"Are we certain of its location?" Than'ja asked.

"As yet, no. Seek it out and eliminate it. It is small enough. This will be simple."

He turned sharply, glaring down at Luar'ka, "You are to remain here." he ordered sharply.

Luar'ka didn't flinch, staring up at him without meeting his gaze. Her fists clenched and her feathers raised, but she bit her tongue and held back her arguments. However, her feathers flared in an unconscious reflex she wasn't entirely aware of until it was too late. Already on edge and keyed up for the Hunt, Thwei'ja's aggressiveness spiked. He snarled and lashed out viciously at her for the second show of defiance. The blow struck her dead in the center of her sternum, knocking her violently against the hull of the ship, cracking the back of her head against the metal interior. She sagged to the floor, grinding her teeth together in an effort not to make any exclamations of pain as stars exploded in her vision. She staggered upright, her knees shaky, her head and body bowed forward. Thwei'ja, growling furiously, his fists clenched, addressed her with finality; "Remain on the ship, Endling. Obey my order and submit!" he thundered.

Luar'ka could feel the blood dribbling through her feathers from the shallow gash the blow had opened up. Her lungs heaved from the strike and she had difficulty drawing enough air to answer him. Gasping, her words came out as raspy croaks; "Egh...sub...it..." she eked out. Now was _not_ the time to test him. He was already close to his limit on patience.

The brothers stood by and watched, unable to intervene. Of all of them, Ikthya'de seemed the most calm as he observed this scene. He cast a glance at Kar'kha, visibly shaking with the effort it took to contain his anger at the treatment of the creature that was supposed to be his apprentice. The middle brother shifted his gaze back and forth between them. He suppressed the urge to chuff in dismay at Kar'kha's regression. He was beginning to revert to the tendencies of a fresh Youngblood. As for Luar'ka, this was simply something she'd have to adjust to. She was fortunate that even through an adrenaline fueled Hunting haze, Thwei'ja still possessed enough focus of mind to adjust the amount of force he used to admonish her. A Youngblood Yautja would have simply staggered at the strength of that blow, enough to send the Avian female hurtling against the wall. The fact that he'd refrained from killing her proved his willingness to accept the change forced upon his pack, whether he liked it or not.

Thwei'ja huffed deeply and turned away from the incapacitated juvenile, opening the hatch doors and lowering the ramp. He stalked outside without another word. The brothers followed him, none of them sparing the Avian a second glance. She straightened up, standing as erect as possible as she watched them leave and then turned to activate the door again, shutting it behind them. She heard the static crackling across the surface of the ship as Thwei'ja activated the cloak from the outside through his bracer. Then, she was left in the silence, without even the dull roar of the engine to keep her company.

She felt rage. She felt humiliation. She felt...shame. The foremost of the torrent of emotions crashing through her, shame led high and mighty above them all. She'd pushed her limits and she'd paid for it. Her head still swam from the strike and her breath continued to come in erratic gasps. She moaned, staggering toward the medical station where Than'ja kept his supplies. She needed to make sure that the gash on her head was manageable and wouldn't become infected. She found a med kit in one of the compartments he kept in order in his chambers and opened it up. Reaching back, she touched a finger to the wound and came away with a fairly ominous amount of red blood shining on her fingers. She sighed and picked up a small flexible pack containing a cleansing agent for disinfection, crushing it between her fingers and smearing it along the back of her head, over the open wound. Then, just as Than'ja had meticulously taught her, she opened a container of the silver liquid used on her the season before by Me'vi-te after her fight with the Bad Blood. She picked up a clean syringe and filled it, pulling the injector back until it was three quarters of the way full. She flicked the bubbles free and reached back, feeling around until she found the center of the gash, jabbing the needle in and hissing shrilly as she injected the silver fluid straight into the wound. An icy cold, numbing sensation spread through the back of her scalp, accented by a short, stinging pain. She groaned and sat back against the wall, eyes shut as she felt the healing agent go to work. It wasn't as potent as some of the other medicines the Yautja used, and the more potent they were, the more painful they became. Than'ja explained that it was designed this way. Healing was important while on a Hunt, since dying at the hands or claws of unworthy prey was highly dishonorable. However, if a Yautja was careless enough to receive injury from such prey, then he deserved punishment for this carelessness. The healing agents would cleanse and seal all wounds, but the pain it inflicted was agonizing. Suitable punishment, enough to make the Hunter think twice about rushing into dangerous altercations with prey.

Luar'ka knew that the disinfectant and sealant would suffice for now, allowing her body to heal somewhat naturally whilst preventing bacteria from taking root. She cleaned the supplies she'd used and stored them back into the med kit, returning it to its place.

Her eyes narrowed as she moved back toward the storeroom, walking slowly and taking careful attention of every detail of the corridor as she proceeded down it. It was odd how she'd never really paid it much attention during her stay the year before. The ship, old as it was, was beautifully made and ornate, with many thousands of marks carved into the walls, perhaps signifying some event or time line in the extensive history of the Yautja. Luar'ka sighed, opening the door of the storeroom as she headed to her pallet, lowering herself to the ground. She hesitated briefly, her feathers quivering.

She reached out and grabbed the med kit Than'ja had presented to her upon their first meeting, attaching it to the thin belt about her waist keeping her loincloth secured in place. She restrained it carefully behind her and then stood up, moving around the room. The vast majority of gear in here had gone unnoticed during her entire stay, further cementing the idea that Thwei'ja simply didn't know or else didn't care when something was too broken to fix. She picked up her small, leather satchel with a sizable hole in the bottom corner of it. The day before, she'd forgone her rations, hiding them beneath her bed pallet where the smell of the fur would mask the scent of the meat. She stuck these few strips of dried meat inside of the satchel, arranging them carefully so they didn't slip out the hole. She also placed a small _naxa_ fruit inside and shut it, attaching it to her belt alongside the med kit. She pulled out an old, faded knife, its tip sheared away, rendering it somewhat dull. She used some binding cord she found to strap it to her other thigh. She checked the straps on her armor, tightening them for good measure as she stood up. She headed out into the main corridor, heading for the entryway. She approached the main control panel and opened the hatch leading outside. Then, after waiting a few moments to make sure that the pack was nowhere close enough to hear this, she activated the controls again and set the hatch to shut. She bolted forward and tore through the rapidly closing door before it snapped closed, sealing itself shut once more.

Luar'ka crouched outside, scooting back near the ship, still cautious. If Thwei'ja had heard this, she knew she'd be in serious trouble, perhaps even in danger. But none of this mattered to her as much as it had before.

There was no sign of the pack anywhere, though she could smell which direction they'd gone. They'd headed southwest, which worked perfectly for her. Luar'ka took a few cautious steps forward, casting one lingering glance back at the ship. She felt a little saddened by this course of action, but she knew it had to be done. She hadn't truly been interested in joining the Hunt, anyway. And besides, she would've had problems deserting the pack if they'd been close enough to see her attempts. This only made the process easier.

She was fully aware of what became of Yautja who deserted their Clans for one reason or another. With very scarce exceptions, they were labeled as Bad Bloods, just like the Yautja she'd faced on _Illmianyar_. She honestly wasn't sure what label her actions would grant her since she wasn't Yautja, but as she turned and bolted off into the trees in a northern direction, she knew that her actions now were irreversible and would most likely end in her death. She'd lost the option of turning back the moment she stepped outside the ship of her own accord.

Far behind her, but not so far that she felt safe, she heard a deep bellow reverberate across the landscape. She recognized it as Kar'kha's. She growled deeply to herself and picked up the pace, slowly widening the gap between herself and her packmates.

A/N: The book is very close to being finished. I've been trying to work as much as I can on the sequel, but I keep running into snags. Anyway, leave me review and tell me what you think.


	25. Twenty Five

Twenty-Five

The wind rustled through the tops of the trees, gusts powerful enough to nearly knock Luar'ka out of them as she clung to the uppermost branches. Trying to see the horizon around her, she shielded her eyes against the sun's glare. She was able to locate the Sandstone Spire far to the northwest of her, placing her just east of her destination by about a day or two. The going was slow and difficult as she clung to the thick underbrush of the thickets and meadows surrounding the Darkling Wood. She'd spent just over a day traveling and could no longer pick up the scents of her pack. She'd already left the ship far, far behind. With any luck, sad and isolated as the idea made her feel, they'd return, find her missing and possibly just leave without her. The thought of being abandoned by her brothers was nearly enough to cause her to collapse in fear and despair, but she kept going, pushing her body to continue moving further and further away from them. Whenever she could, she scaled the trees to make her scent trails more difficult to track, jumping from branch to branch with her powerful legs to gain more ground more quickly. For gaps that were further between branches, she practiced gliding, soaring silently from treetop to treetop and landing more easily with every attempt. By the end of the first day, she'd about mastered landing in trees.

When evening fell, she located a thick, fluffy branch high above the ground and curled up in its scraggly folds, tucking her wings around herself. She doubted her pack had returned to the ship just yet. Even though the mentioned hive was small, she figured it would take well over a day to completely clean out. She hadn't seen any sign of the _kainde amedha_ yet, either. She wondered if perhaps the human prey they favored had moved out of this area, or even been overrun, forcing them to expand their territories. In any case, her pack wouldn't notice her absent presence until well after she'd gotten far beyond their range. By then, hopefully she'd have reached her destination and...well, as for what followed, she supposed she'd figure that out when she came to it.

She sat quietly, listening to the ambient sounds of nightlife around her. After so long sleeping to the dull hum of a powerful engine pushing the ship through space, this nighttime chatter made her uneasy. She'd almost forgotten what crickets sounded like. She jumped and flared her feathers at the sound of an owl hooting close by. A small animal tearing through the undergrowth had her feathers standing entirely on end for a short while. She huddled closer to herself, tucking her wings in tightly around her body. She shivered and began to dearly miss her warm pallet, no matter how old and ragged it may have been. It was only now that the impulse decision to seek out her homeland was beginning to wear off that regret began to set in. Thoughts of her brothers and all she'd learned from them, thoughts of familiarity aboard the ship and of the life she'd carved out for herself among the Yautja, thoughts of S'iirai on _Illmianyar_. She was possibly throwing all of it away, and for what? What did she make this decision for? And why?

Deep in her heart, she knew why. She needed to see her birthplace again, one last time. Come to terms with her abandonment. Despite telling herself this so many times over the last year, Luar'ka had tried and failed to banish her past. She'd spent so much time lingering on it in spite of commanding herself to let it go. She was still missing one important ingredient in her quest to move forward.

She needed closure. She needed to know that her Clan truly no longer had need of her. She needed to let them know in turn that they'd been rash and impulsive by expelling her from their protection and that _she_ no longer had need of _them_. This thought had consumed her mind when she'd first translated Sechinde's orders to the _Illmorein_. The fact that she and her brothers would go to earth following that meeting had set her heart racing. The planet of her birth, the place that once harbored some of the most challenging prey the Yautja had ever faced before said prey faced possible endangerment and extinction. The planet she'd once called home.

Now, this place of all places felt alien, foreign. It was too quiet, too peaceful. She found herself already missing the familiar grumbles and clicks she often fell asleep to in the healing ward as Than'ja and his comrades worked long into the night. The sound of his voice had soothed her. There was something she found so calming about those sounds. She found herself missing Ikthya'de and his habit of sharing his favorite fruits with her, thereby making those fruits _her_ favorites. She missed Kar'kha and how he'd begun to teach her to care for and maintain the various weapons he kept in preparation for her to receive her own one day. She even found herself missing Thwei'ja. Cantankerous and unpredictable as he could be, he was still a familiar figure in her odd little family. The brothers saw her as one of their own, a place she'd worked hard to claim.

Luar'ka shook herself, trying not to berate herself for this choice. Closure was something she needed more than anything and if it meant being labeled as fair game to the Yautja, then so be it. She'd at least be able to die content. Still restless, she did her best to catch a little sleep, nestled inside her makeshift nest high in the treetops.

/ooo/

Morning found Luar'ka as restless and anxious as she had been the night before. She rose carefully, remembering she'd fallen asleep in a tree. Spreading her wings, she stretched them generously before gliding down gently to the ground, bracing her strong wings against the air and beating them to steady herself as she touched down on the ground. She folded her wings back behind her and stared off into the morning sky, the sun kissing the tops of the mountains to the east.

Time was running out. She still had a lot of distance she needed to put between herself and her pack. By now, the Hunt was most likely nearing its end, if it hadn't already ended during the night. Luar'ka turned, bolting off through the trees. She ran near noiselessly, her stormy eyes scanning the forest around her for signs of either encroaching threats or, better yet, nourishment. She didn't want to break out her food supplies just yet, not when there was plenty of game around to Hunt.

A squirrel darted into her line of sight on the trunk of a tree. She ignored this animal. It was too agile to catch quickly and chasing it all over would leave an obvious scent trail in this area in case she was pursued. She moved on, continuing to watch for signs of movement. The telltale scent of water wafted into her nose and she instinctively followed it slightly to the east. Through the dense trees, she caught sight of a chink of water reflecting the early morning sunlight. But she hesitated as she approached, finding it to be a small pond, stagnant and still, and covered in peat. This wouldn't do to drink. She grumbled to herself and resumed her northerly trek, moving swiftly through the ferns in a wide zigzag pattern. This served two functions; to mask her scent trail and to catch the trails of other animals she might cross over. It worked; the sharp scent of blood hit her hard and she snarled softly. It was coming from right up ahead. However, the feathers on her head and running partly down her neck raised in apprehension and she hissed softly. This feeling of unease became stronger as she drew nearer and she soon saw the source of the blood in a large, grassy clearing between the trees.

These were human corpses, splayed out on the ground in awkward positions, their faces frozen in eternal fear and agony. The corpse nearest Luar'ka had already fallen prey to the birds flitting about, its vacant eyes staring hauntingly up at her. Upon seeing that they were dead, Luar'ka relaxed, her feathers dropping. She straightened up, looking around the clearing carefully. There appeared to be no sign of living humans within her range of scent. These three were relatively fresh and the cause of their deaths was evident in the gaping chest cavities and splayed ribs, complete with a familiar dead creature lying curled up next to each of their faces. She grumbled low at the sight of these.

" _Tou'amedha_."

Her guard resumed at the thought of new _kainde amedha_ roving about the area. Casting wary glances around her, her hand flicking to the knife at her right thigh, she froze, listening carefully. So far, the only sounds she could detect were those of far off bird and animal calls. The telltale hissing that betrayed the presence of the Hard Meat menaces was nowhere to be heard. She relaxed again, but only marginally. She shifted her attention to the corpses that lay before her. She had been hoping to find some form of sustenance while traveling, and while she would have preferred fresh meat, she supposed carrion would have to suffice for now. In the distant past, Avians had once held a reputation as consumers of humans. But as their numbers dwindled, while human numbers soared, they gave up eating them and focused instead on adding various forms of roughage and other herbivorous foods to their diets. Luar'ka had found that she appeared to thrive on a carnivorous diet, though it seemed the Yautja had been more omnivorous over anything else.

One of the human corpses, as it turned out, had not been killed by the _tou'amedha_ , but instead, appeared to have died at the hands of another human. There was a Hunting knife plunged into his back as he lay on his side at the edge of the clearing. Luar'ka moved closer to him and yanked the knife out, turning his body over and examining him to see if he was truly dead. His eyes were vacant and empty, his mouth hanging open and his face ashen. The scent of death betrayed his lingering corpse and she could tell it hadn't been there very long.

Glancing around to make certain she was alone, Luar'ka grumbled lowly to herself and stepped forward, pressing her claws down against the corpse and leaning down, burying her fangs in the body. Scavenging, one of the instinctive and ingrained traits that had partially saved her life during her time alone the year before. Luar'ka could hardly believe she was back to this point, picking carrion off as a food source. However, she'd been trained extensively thus far and knew that to shun an opportunity was to shun the _Paya_ once again favoring her chances. For whatever reason, they appeared to be looking out for her, providing her with an opportunity to continue to live and fight. Luar'ka felt deeply honored by this and devoured nearly her fill of the corpse. She kept her eyes and ears trained to the area around her, alert and ready to spring at the first sign of danger. There were crows waiting close by for their share of the meat and she heard the scratching sounds of small scavengers in the immediate vicinity, watching and waiting for her to abandon the corpse. Though small, Luar'ka was very obviously the top predator in this little hovel and she relished it silently, knowing better than to outwardly gloat. She finished her repast and moved away from the corpse, crossing the meadow and approaching a wide oak tree. Ascending quickly, she paused at a branch about twenty feet off the ground and settled back against the trunk, setting about to grooming herself. The view from the tree branch was extensive. Luar'ka was able to see the Sandstone Spire many leagues away, but not so far that she couldn't rely on its guidance. She was still headed in a northerly direction and making excellent time. She sighed and resumed grooming, relaxing briefly before she would steel herself to continue her journey.

As she stood up and stretched, preparing to move on, movement to her left caught her eye and she turned. Her heart leaped into her throat when, far off in the distance, she saw the outline of the trees explode outward as something large rocketed out from beneath them. Though the cloak was still up, rendering it more or less invisible, Luar'ka knew that that was the ship taking off. Her sharp eyes could see its outline as it rose higher and higher into the sky, moving more quickly with each passing second. Soon, it was lost to sight among the clouds. Luar'ka felt sorrow and despair at being abandoned yet again as she bid a silent, mournful farewell to her brothers. She could take a guess what had happened. No doubt the Hunt had ended without a hitch and they'd returned to the ship. Upon discovering she was gone, Thwei'ja most likely considered this to be of little consequence and ordered the others to forget about her. Even when her powerful eyes lost sight of the ship, she continued staring at the sky where it had gone. She felt an indescribable pull in that direction, toward the sky. Her wings twitched and some insane part of her demanded she try to catch up, even though they were already likely breaking through the atmosphere of the planet by this time.

" _N'dhi-ja, mei'hswei-de_. _Le'thi-de n'jauka-de se'thin le-soun ky'var sint-ki'a depaya_." she whispered, her feathers drooping. She found it difficult to believe how much she missed them already. This pain felt nearly as strong as when the realization that her mother had abandoned her as well hit her so long ago. But this was worse. Far, far worse.

She turned and bolted out of the tree, landing roughly on the ground and taking off through the forest as she fought the instinctive urge to shed tears in her despair. She knew that once she achieved the closure she required, she would have nowhere else she could go. But there was no point in worrying about that right now. She had to reach her homeland first.

Her crushing despair could wait.

/ooo/

The going was slow. Luar'ka had to stop multiple times to make certain of her direction and pathway. Whenever she lost her way for longer than a few minutes, she'd climb the nearest tree and take note of the Spire somewhere off in the distance. This way, she was able to remain in a northern trajectory. She continued moving at a decent pace, blocking all other thoughts from her mind except her current goal. She took breaks from the fast pace whenever she could, pausing once at a deep stream to cool herself off. However, she knew that she remained vulnerable during these times and kept her senses trained for anything out of the ordinary. It was never safe to become too preoccupied on a Hunt.

Late afternoon signaled a longer pause for her when she came across a wide valley overlooking a vast desert terrain in the distance. To her left, far off on the horizon, the great Spire beckoned, its shadow falling across the land. Luar'ka scowled as she realized that after over a day and a half of journeying, she was nearing her goal. She'd have accomplished much more distance by flying if she knew how, but she had to content herself with running.

In the basin of the valley, thick trees flanked it on all sides, obscuring her vision to what lay between them. But she knew instinctively what was down there. This was a different route than she'd taken before, but she was once again on the pathway leading back to her homeland. Beyond this valley, she'd find the impasse she crossed through the year before, leading into the desert wastes she'd once called home. As she moved along, moving a bit more slowly now, she eyed the forest around her, taking note of prey whenever and wherever she saw it. Once she'd finished her quest, she knew she'd have to learn how to eke out a living in these forests. Even if the Yautja came back, she knew beyond a shadow of doubt that she'd become little more than prey to them. Assuming due to her status that she'd be exempted from the term 'Bad Blood', she'd be forced to fight or take flight if she saw one of her brothers. No doubt, whatever bond she'd shared with them would have completely disintegrated by then and they likely wouldn't even recognize her.

Vaulting over a fallen log, she paused to sniff the air, feeling her feathers raise in discomfort. A sudden, all too familiar scent suddenly wafted through the air, assaulting her olfactory senses and causing her mane to raise up in apprehension. The saliva of the _kainde amedha_. It was impossible for her to forget that scent, not after having been nearly drenched in it and Hunted at close range by those creatures. The scent was drifting up from the base of the valley. If she continued in this forward path, Luar'ka knew she'd be heading straight into another nest, possibly bigger and more infested than the one Thwei'ja's pack had taken on. She wondered if he was aware of this new nest. If it hadn't been detected yet, it could easily continue spreading. But with no experience Hunting them and weapons that would probably only serve to anger such a beast in combat, she knew she had no hope of taking on one at her present level.

She jumped back onto the log, crouching down with her wings tucked behind her. She was now faced with two options. She could either continue on this northerly path down through the center of the valley and most certainly into an established or else developing nest of _kainde amedha,_ thus risking an encounter with one, or she could skirt along the sloping edges of the valley. There were two roads leading south and southwest leading out of the basin. The year before, when she'd passed through, she'd taken the southwest route simply by chance. The road she was on was relatively higher and led more toward the center of the basin than the other road did. She would most likely wind up tracing her steps all over again. If this were the case, it meant she'd likely run into _kainde amedha_ either way. Weighing her options and coming to the obvious conclusion that both roads were fairly dangerous, Luar'ka sighed and stood up, stretching her wings. She'd continue on this road and hope for the best. It wasn't like she had much else to go on. This valley and mountain would soon become her domain anyway, so she might as well get used to it and familiarize herself with it. If the Yautja ever _did_ return to Hunt the developing nest, then it was a good bet they'd stumble across her. If and when that happened, she'd have the opportunity to figure out what her new standing was with them following her desertion of her Clan and react accordingly.

As she flew down the mountainside, barely making a sound as she tore through the trees, she kept her eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary. She found it strange, though. Unbloods were required to learn about the chosen prey of the Yautja, the Hard Meats, through simulated battles aboard the ship. _kainde amedha_ drones were captured and brought aboard the ship in singular units to fight honored and experienced warriors in the central _kehrite_. Luar'ka had partaken in this spectacle and marveled at the warrior chosen to fight the creature. He'd dispatched it easily while R'zha explained the lifestyle habits of the creatures and how they functioned and progressed their hives and communities. This was right before the chosen warrior sliced his wristblades down through the neck of the beast, severing its spine and ripping its head from its body, the acid blood dripping ominously onto the floor below and partially eating through it. Those lessons had been invaluable, especially now that Luar'ka was faced with the real thing. Though there were obvious signs of the Hard Meat population holding steady in this area, it didn't seem to be growing _or_ depleting. Rather, it appeared in random, erratic spots. She believed this due to the fact that Thwei'ja had landed his ship so far away from this new nest. It was becoming quite obvious that the Yautja hadn't been made aware of this one yet, otherwise they would've cleaned it out. So what on earth was going on around here?

Something really wasn't right.

The ground began to even out a little more and Luar'ka slowed her pace, panting softly as her breathing returned to normal extremely quickly. Her tail swished, her eyes roved the area. Every synapse in her brain was on high alert, natural predatory instincts coursing through her system. While simultaneously keeping a look out, Luar'ka felt so undeniably alive in that instant, padding quietly through the dense, dry undergrowth. Every step was taken with care to avoid treading on a dry twig or leaf. Soft soil met her feet and she moved slowly. Her feathers splayed out across her head and her wings lowered slightly, their dark coloring helping her meld in with the shadows. Her caution was high and she kept every sense focused.

She froze at the sound of leaves crunching. It was the beginning of the cold season. The leaves were drying up and falling in waves across the forest floor. Her legs bent, lowering her body carefully to the ground. She lay on her belly, her tail curled up around herself as she hunkered down amidst a growing pile of leaves. Her tail swished in a wide arc, throwing a pile of leaves over herself. Her eyes moved slowly, circling the field of sight before her as her heart thudded painfully in her chest.

She froze as something tore through the trees directly before her, about twenty feet away. She caught the telltale sound of high pitched whining. It was a wild dog. Two more followed suit behind it and she saw that they appeared to be running from something else.

 _Hssssssssssssskkk!_

Luar'ka watched with baited breath as an all-too-familiar black shadow tore through the trees after the dogs, moving so quickly she almost couldn't see it. But she saw it, and it was horrifying. It vanished within seconds, and Luar'ka held her breath and her position, not moving a muscle. She heard the frantic yelping of one of the wild dogs a few seconds later. It continued for several more seconds before cutting off abruptly. She couldn't tell if the creature had killed it or impregnated it. Either way, it took the heat off of her and spared her the trouble of dealing with the beast for now. She waited several more minutes, listening intently. Just as she expected, it stamped back into her line of sight, moving steadily without pause. It didn't know she was there.

It continued through the trees at a brisk pace, no doubt heading back toward the hive. Luar'ka waited until she could no longer hear its footsteps before slowly standing up, waiting to shake off the leaf cover. She tread lightly as she moved forward, walking as quietly and swiftly as she could in her preferred direction, angling away from the path the creature had taken. She wasn't very deep into the valley yet. If she'd run into one of the _kainde amedha_ this quickly, then who knows how many more she'd have to contend with? Her knives, taken from the Yautjas' weaponry, were sharp and light enough for her to wield near effortlessly, but they were virtually useless against the oily black creatures. Their only soft spots, if you could call them that, were the underside of the belly and the inner neck and if you managed to get that close to their vital points, then you were also likely on the receiving end of that vicious mouth. She figured that she'd only gotten so lucky the year before because again, for whatever reason, the _Paya_ had already chosen her and were guiding her. It was the only explanation she could come to, being such a youngling and having actually incapacitated one of those monsters.

She turned to the tree nearest her and began to climb swiftly, her tail slashing the air behind her. She reached a branch high enough above the lower treeline that she could see further out across the valley. It was settled then. The only way to reach the basin quickly without attack was to glide. Fortunately, the wind was at her back and moving slowly enough that she wouldn't be knocked off balance. She opened her wings, preparing herself as she coiled her legs and bounded from the branch, stretching her wings to catch the gust behind her. She wobbled precariously a few times before steadying her balance. Keeping her lower body aloft and straight, she kept her wings angled with the wind, stretching her tail out behind her. This supported her balance further and actually helped her to steer. As she soared noiselessly above the treetops, her pounding heart started to settle a bit and she began to relax. She took a chance and beat her wings softly, hoping this wouldn't send her careening into another tumble like it had on _Illmianyar_. Surprisingly, this time, it didn't. She was properly balanced in a steady glide. She rose up a few inches in the air, maintaining her balance as she glided—no, _flew—_ across the treetops. She beat her wings again, gaining more altitude and a bit more speed. The wind rushed past her ears and she let out a pleased rumble at her progress, baring her teeth. So this was what flight felt like? She had to admit, it felt pretty good. Perhaps she'd gain the opportunity to reach the heavens after all. If the _Paya_ ever allowed her to join her brothers in their lands one day, perhaps she could show them what she'd become capable of.

She cleared the valley walls in no time, now soaring high above an empty, broken human road surrounded on all sides by decrepit dwellings and structures. Luar'ka was reluctant to land now that she'd finally become fully airborne, but she knew she had to at some point. She angled downward, beating her wings in a more forward motion to slow herself down. She tilted her body back slightly, bringing her legs forward as she braced her wings against the rushing air, beating them roughly to kill her momentum as she touched down on the ground—and promptly lost her footing and crashed to a halt on her back with a groan. Okay, so she still needed work on her landings. She could live with that. She sat up, hissing in pain as she assessed her surroundings. She thought this place had looked familiar. This was that human village she'd visited briefly the year before after Maria had found her. She remembered this place being directly in line of the pathway she'd taken away from her homeland heading south. She stood up, glancing around her curiously as she recalled the placement of all the old structures she'd seen the morning she escaped Maria's house. Come to think of it, was there a chance the woman was even still here?

Luar'ka walked silently along the cracked and broken road, thick weeds growing in and around the old pathway. Nature had overrun the place, the old dwellings overflowing with green vegetation. Humans had clearly been absent from this valley for quite some time, now. Luar'ka had to wonder just how long things had been getting this bad. She also wondered how far it had spread. Even to her untrained eye, there was something weird about the influx of _kainde amedha_ in this area. They were sporadically placed and oddly few in number.

She passed a home where the roof had completely caved in from the weight of mosses and grasses growing atop it. Another dwelling looked as if it had caught fire, with only the basic foundation still standing. Luar'ka barely spared these structures a glance. She was too focused on keeping her guard up as she gained her bearings and figured out where she was.

At the end of the road, she stopped, staring for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, her shoulders sagging. There was no mistaking it, and a hidden, softer piece of her heart had told her exactly what she should possibly expect if she should find it.

Maria's old family home, as she'd described it, just as Luar'ka remembered, lay situated at the edge of the community, near the treeline and the mountain trail leading around the edge of the valley, the separate pathway she'd taken before. The home looked in good repair at first glance, but as she drew nearer, Luar'ka could see a giant, gaping hole in one side of the wall, as if something enormous had slammed through it at full speed and strength. Judging from the claw marks raking across the walls on the outside, peeling the sides of the dwelling away, she hazarded a safe guess that should she venture inside, she would not find Maria.

She crept closer, peering in through the hole of the wrecked home, scenting the air carefully as she did. The rancid stench of the _kainde amedha_ saliva was everywhere and dried mounds of it coated the floor. Without even venturing inside, Luar'ka now confirmed it, backing away from the hole and bowing her head sadly. Maria was gone.

She rested that evening on the roof of Maria's old home, staring out over the plains of the basin and gazing up at the sky, now ablaze with the glow of the dying sun. The shrill cries of birds rent the air and she felt a tugging in her throat, almost as if she were tempted to answer their calls. That was silly. She knew better than that. She answered the urge instead with a low purr, trying to comfort herself. Each night spent in dreadful silence was awful, but was gradually getting easier. Soon, she knew—and feared—she'd lose the memory of her brothers' voices altogether.

Sleep came slowly that night, punctuated by moments of brief unease at the sounds of shrieking in the distance. This caused her to wake and glance around anxiously. When she did sleep, her dreams were filled with images of the black beasts and of shadowy forms that resembled the Yautja, which never seemed to draw near to her no matter how close she moved toward them. As she watched, the dark form closest to her materialized right before her, towering over her. The shadows around him twisted and warped and she watched in horror as his form, as black as the creatures surrounding him, was suddenly swarmed by the monsters and torn apart, dissipating into thick, black muck that coated the ground. She staggered back, scrambling for purchase on the boundless ground beneath her as a gnarled, clawed hand emerged from the nightmarish mass and grabbed for her, scratching the ground desperately, as if trying to pull itself free. Reacting instinctively, Luar'ka darted forward and grabbed the hand, practically sobbing in fear as she tugged as hard as she could, only to be dragged forward. The shadows around her began to swirl menacingly around her body and she watched as the black horror at her feet suddenly swallowed the hand before rising from the ground in a seeping, smoky ball of ash, transforming into an inky pair of wings that beat furiously, rising into the air. A dark pair of eyes opened in the smoke and glowered down at her.

Her eyes snapped open with a start and she took several quick, shaky breaths. Her wings shuddered and she pushed herself to her feet, trying to calm her racing heart in her chest. Just a nightmare, a bad dream and nothing more. She told herself this over and over.

The sky was still dark. All around her, the ambient sounds of night on the deceptively peaceful planet made their voices known. Crickets, far off nightingales, and owls. Raising her head, she gazed longingly into the night sky. Once a source of wonders for her, a place of unimaginable fantasies of the heavens and what they would feel like beneath her wings, now that night sky represented a home she could never return to. A place where she'd found a tiny little nook she could call her own. A home carved out among the culture of ancient warriors far more aged and knowing than she could ever understand. The stars were as endless as the years they'd seen as a society, at least to her decidedly short life thus far. She raised her hand up to brush her claws through the air, tantalizingly close to the stars she loved, seemingly close enough to touch even though she knew better.

She knew she needed to sleep for another hour or two before continuing on her journey. Reluctantly, she curled up again, tearing her eyes away from the stars as they began to swirl and twist in her suddenly warped and watery vision. She hunkered down, closed her eyes and drifted into another deep sleep.

She suffered no dreams at all.

/ooo/

She truly found the whole experience to be surreal. So little had changed that recognizing familiarity in these lands had ceased being a chore long ago. Here she was, standing on the same riverbed outside the human village, staring high above her to the cliff edge where Kar'kha's burner had blasted off the top half of the rocky overhang. She could still see where the landslide had struck. She was definitely heading back on the same path she'd taken. But this time, getting there wouldn't take so long. She'd dragged her heels before, hoping her family would come find her before she got too far while knowing she couldn't stay put. This time, she kept moving at a brisk pace, fully aware of where she was going. She tucked her wings back, adjusting her pouch about her waist as she charged forward, bounding easily from rock to rock and maintaining her balance near perfectly.

As she arrived at the top of the riverbed, near where her first brush with death from the _kainde amedha_ had taken place, she kept a close eye on her surroundings, making certain she was truly alone. She was still too close for comfort to the spot where the pack had gone in Hunting the creatures down. She knew from experience how quickly those monsters could travel. Instinct told her to avoid open spaces as much as possible. A deeper inner voice clawed at her to take to the skies as any grown Avian would do. In reality, most Avians her age already knew how to fly. She had one advantage over them in her advanced fighting skills, courtesy of the Yautjan prowess. She hurried over to the cliff face and dug her talons in, heaving herself up easily across the jagged rock, climbing higher and higher until she reached a slightly more even terrain. Scaling sideways, she kept a close eye on the ground below her, keeping watch for anything out of the ordinary. Clattering of stones above her almost made her lose her grip as she whirled around, spotting some kind of wild deer peering over the edge of the cliff above her. She relaxed, focusing again on her task at hand. When she finally reached a more level area, she cautiously let go, turning around and facing northward. The Spire loomed high in the distance, now much closer than it had been previously. Luar'ka sighed heavily and unfurled her wings, feeling for the wind direction. The wind was at her back, but it was liable to change at any moment. She had to be cautious. She knelt down, bracing herself with her claws as she beat her wings furiously, pushing off from the cliff edge just as she'd done from the trees on _Illmianyar_. Her wings snapped open to catch the wind behind her and she beat them several times, establishing her balance as she soared above the earth. She continued to beat her wings infrequently, every time she started to lose altitude. She tried to keep herself on as straight a path as possible since she wasn't too sure how to steer. She felt that if she tried to turn, she'd flip upside down and go crashing back to the ground. She was over fifty feet up now, so such a crash would be a disaster. Keeping her body straight behind her, her eyes focused on the horizon before her, she concentrated on maintaining her altitude. She was built for this and practicing gliding before had given her a vague idea of how to execute flying. Fully trained Avian aerialists were capable of astounding acrobatic feats in the air. The _rannin_ , or guardians, had proven as much. Some of her farthest memories of her sire consisted of watching him perform such feats while flying with the _rannin_. She supposed she should be glad she hadn't run into them yet. Their territorial circuit around the Clan was extensive and grew more so each year with the humans' advancing encroachment into the northern territories. It became harder to protect the Clan from threats. She was glad she'd managed to avoid their circuit during her journey back to the north.

She was gaining an immense amount of ground as she flew carefully and steadily. Already, she could make out the vast desert of her birthplace beyond a stretch of fluffy, thick green trees that grew sparser as she drew nearer to the deep ravines that plunged down into the earth abruptly. In the distance, she could make out the expansive plateau that served as the last ditch attempt hiding place for her people. As she caught sight of it, her heart began to hammer in her chest and she fought back the sudden rush of adrenaline and anxiety.

What would they say when they saw her again? Would they accept her? Would they reject her again? Would they question her whereabouts for the past year? How was she supposed to tell them she'd been taken away by otherworldly creatures and trained to fight? It would at least explain the furs and armor she wore, but she doubted her Clan would believe her. She shook her head with a snarl. She didn't care what they thought; she was only going back to prove that she was worth keeping around. She wasn't planning on staying. The mountain she'd crossed would serve as her new territory and she'd become a solitary Hunter, upholding her code of honor and pride until either _Cetanu_ or another Hunter came to claim her. She was certain that the Yautja would come back eventually. Nearly everyone on the ship had been made aware of her. Many of them wouldn't have minded claiming her for a trophy. She was positive that Thwei'ja would alert the Matriarch and the Elders of her desertion and the edict would be drawn allowing her to be Hunted for this transgression. Sooner or later, a Yautja would arrive in her territory and ultimately claim her life. She might fight, and she might even kill one or two before she went down, but this was the only way it could end. She would end up an enemy of the creatures she'd come to see as her kin. As time went on, this became easier for her to accept.

She beat her wings again, lifting her aloft once more as she began to sag toward the ground. She'd cleared the trees and now soared high above the desert sands, making much faster time than she would have on the ground. She had to keep a wary eye out, now. Rail likely still Hunted in this region. No doubt he'd spot her if he were out scrounging. She doubted he'd recognize her right away and probably attack her first, believing her to be a threat. So far though, there was no sign of him. She kept a wary eye out for anything else to be concerned over, but the skies were empty of all flight, including the buzzards that haunted the dead and dying in these parched lands. The light reflecting off the bone dry rocks and sand nearly blinded her, causing her to instinctively lower her second eyelid as she pressed on. She found that through the darkened, protective membrane, she could actually still see with all of the extra light flooding down. It had always been dark before because of the low light available in the Yautjan ships. This cover for her eyes created a brownish red filter when filled with natural sunlight, enabling her to continue to see where she was going, even with her eyeballs covered.

Finally, she reached the wide base of the enormous plateau and she glided down toward the ground, throwing her legs forward and beating her wings to stabilize herself as she came to a clumsy, scraping landing on the sandstone. She was getting better, but she still had a long ways to go.

As she crept forward toward the rocks, she started coughing as enormous gusts of wind whipped up, sending the sand flying around her in wicked eddies and forcing her to crouch beneath a wide, flat rock for defense. She lay there, tucked in a ball and listening to the roar around her as the sandstorm ran its course, blocking out the sun's rays and making it difficult to breathe. She'd forgotten how quickly sandstorms could pick up in the desert. She waited patiently until it died down some more before she started to dig herself out, flapping her wings to free herself from the heavy sand pile. She staggered out and shook herself off with a sigh, tucking her wings back behind her as she continued deeper into the canyons. She dimly recalled the path she had to take, recognizing familiar formations here and there as she walked along. And all the while, her heart continued to hammer uncomfortably in her chest at the anticipation of what she was doing.

Things were beginning to look more familiar. A rocky fork in the road here, a cluster of stones there, a peculiar formation in the cliff above her, and so on. She was feeling an increasing sense of familiarity as she moved steadily through the canyons. She picked it up a notch, scrabbling up the side of a small cliff and into a deep clearing in the rocks. She could see the passageway before her, a strong beam of sunlight cascading down through the top of the roof at the end that told her she was nearing the end of her journey. She could hear voices in the distance, heard the distinct sound of footsteps ahead of her. This was it.

She moved forward through the tunnel, emerging into a wide ridge overlooking the desert she'd just crossed. As she moved up along the ridge, she craned her head up over the rocks, her eyes widening as her steps increased. During the journey here, she'd been living in anticipation of what she'd feel when she arrived back in her birthplace after so long away from it. The turmoil of her decision, her choice to abandon her pack, her brothers, the way of life she'd come to embrace and to love, all of it in preparation to feel something new and hopefully renewing upon her return. Facing the darkness of what she'd left behind. Now, as she took in her birth family's plateau home for the first time in over a year, digested exactly what she was looking at and seeing who was moving around on her old homeland, she settled on her chosen emotion; Rage.

Her mind went hazy, her body moved on its own as her feathers flared and she let out a blood curdling scream that bounced off the rocks around her, reverberating through the canyon and across the sands beyond, a cry so powerful that a part of her was in disbelief that it had originated in her own throat at all. The scent of the dried and caked blood splashed across the sandstone floor, the mangled corpses lying drying out in the baking sun, the sight of her hated human enemies moving in and around the mounds of bodies, dragging them around and searching for useable material; it all served to splash her gaze with a veil of unearthly fury.

The five or six human males all jumped out of their skin at the scream that rent the air around them, whirling to face the still-living Avian, dressed in strange armor and her wings unfurled. The one closest to her drew a blade and charged forward, his stance clumsy. Luar'ka bolted toward him, weaving easily beneath the sharp edge and leaping up into the crook of his neck, sinking her teeth in deep and digging her sharp talons into his abdomen. A quick wrench of her claws had his middle spilling out onto the sandstone beneath them, causing him to bellow in pain and double over. Compared to the thick hides of the Yautja, the human hide cut through like parchment. He crumpled down in a heap and Luar'ka spun out from beneath him, shrieking her rage as she rushed to meet another attacker coming at her with a knife. The others followed suit, blindly diving into battle with the last remaining Avian. She dug her claws into the second human's neck, using her momentum to rip open his throat as she pushed herself off of him and into the third, slashing her claws across his face and tearing out one of his eyes, ripping his face completely open in the process. Both went down with screams of pain as the final two wisely chose to hesitate before her. Luar'ka spread her feet apart, throwing her arms to the sides and bellowing out a challenge to her foes. The first one took her challenge, hurrying forward with a hand spear drawn, aimed toward her stomach. He was clearly lacking in training and this was evident when she leaped up over his head, spreading her wings and crashing against his face, slicing and ripping her talons across his unprotected face and spilling his blood across the ground. She launched off his head, sending his writhing and twitching form collapsing in a ball as he screamed. She used her talons to rip his throat out, cutting off his screams and ending his life quickly. The final human, trembling in terror, his eyes wide, dropped his weapon to the ground, staggering back in fear as he watched her bear down on him. He screamed wildly and flung his arms over his face, squeezing his eyes shut.

Luar'ka paused, her eyes falling on the weapon on the ground. Even through her blood fueled haze, the honor teachings of the Yautja rang in her mind. Her sparse training thus far held true and steadfast. She clenched her fists closed, her claws digging into her skin. She would not attack an unarmed victim. She glowered angrily at the cowering human before slowly turning away. Something inside her screamed at this action and her instincts rang true when she heard his sudden movements and whirled, meeting him in time to deflect his lunge toward the knife he'd dropped. She jumped lithely out of his range, snarling viciously as she charged forward and buried her fangs in his neck, choking the life out of him and clamping her jaws down hard. He gradually fell limp in her grasp. This final act of savagery sealed her fury and she let out a long, shrill screech to the sky, lashing her tail furiously. She whirled, eyes frantically scanning the terrain for any more movement. Her blood lust was high, her rage higher. Movement to her right caught her attention and she snarled, bounding toward it furiously as she leaped into the air, claws bared toward her next target.

 _Snap!_

Luar'ka shrieked in surprise as something shot toward her, ensnaring her completely before she had a chance to react. She was sent flying backward from the sheer momentum of whatever held her prisoner, slamming hard to the ground. Screeching and flailing, she struggled to free herself from the net as her intended target stamped forward, crouching down and pinning her to the ground with one knee while one hand grabbed hold of her neck and shoulder and shoved her down hard. She shrieked in anger and instinctive terror as she struggled furiously, feeling her muscles wrench painfully from the solid grip.

"Submit!"

Her eyes snapped open in amazement and alarm as she recognized the Yautjan language. Suddenly, all anger left her, replaced by fear and her struggling grew more intense. In response, her captor's sharp talons pricked her skin, drawing blood. His grip hardened, now pushing her so hard that she had difficulty breathing.

" _Submit!_ " he ordered again. This time, Luar'ka obeyed, falling still, save for the frantic, shallow breaths she gulped down to feed her starving lungs. He continued to hold her there, keeping her pinned down with his knee to prevent more flailing. His grip on her neck loosened slightly, allowing her breathing to gradually return to normal. Finally, she fell entirely still in his grasp.

"I submit..." she whispered, having finally calmed. She opened her eyes and turned her head, slightly wary of whoever had captured her. He was wearing his mask, but she didn't need to see his face to know who he was. Her eyes went wide in confusion and amazement at just which Yautja had pursued her all this way to her homeland. Certainly not any of the Yautja she'd been _expecting_.

"Thwei'ja." she mumbled.

 _ **Translation:**_

 ** _N'dhi-ja, mei'hswei-de_. _Le'thi-de n'jauka-de se'thin le-soun ky'var sint-ki'a depaya_.-** "Farewell, brothers. May we hunt together again in the lands of the high ones."

A/N: I wanted to get this out a little early. Not to mention leaving a little cliffie of my own for you to enjoy. I did my best, but this was a hard chapter to write. It took two weeks over the summer while I was working on it. Hope you enjoy!


	26. Twenty-Six

Twenty-Six

 _Exhaustion barely described it. Honestly, while they could've kept going, Kar'kha and his brothers knew that they had reached their limits. The nest had been much deeper than anticipated. Ambush after ambush, strike after countless strikes, and they finally succeeded in vanquishing the entire nest of_ kainde amedha _. And yet despite all their efforts, there was no sign of any queen to defeat. This was beyond confusing. How could an entire nest form without an egg layer? It didn't make sense. There were no signs of any Echelons either, nor any eggs. Just drones, and plenty of them. Building a nest on instinct, functioning without a queen, but serving no higher purpose of intentional consequence. They fought and they died for nothing whatsoever._

 _Ikthya'de had sustained a few gashes across his chest, further differentiating himself from his twin. Than'ja had received only smaller damage to his body. Thwei'ja sliced through Hard Meat foes with ease, almost too easily, signifying his age. His worst injury was a deep gash down his back, crisscrossing through the myriad of scars he already possessed, revealing his past filled with battles and expected violence. Kar'kha had received the worst injury, with a splash of Hard Meat blood striking him in the face and burning away part of his crest and the tusk on his upper right mandible. All four Yautja returned to the ship, exhausted and weary. They'd been gone nearly a whole day and Kar'kha went up into the ship, intent on seeking treatment. He looked around curiously, expecting to see Luar'ka wandering around inside the ship. He wandered down toward the storeroom she still used as her own, opening the door. He let out a frustrated rumble when he saw she wasn't there. He turned, heading toward the cockpit to see if she were sitting in there waiting. He didn't get very far before he heard Thwei'ja's roar outside. Ikthya'de, still in the entryway, glanced up as Kar'kha approached and followed him outside. Their leader was standing beside the ship, his fists clenched as he stared pointedly at the ground before him. His head snapped up at their approach and he let out a low snarl. Kar'kha instantly saw what he was looking and his eyes widened in alarm._

 _Tiny, three-toed footprints leading away from the ship, the opposite direction of the nest and into the forest, vanishing without a trace. She must have activated the door from the inside and darted out before it shut, locking herself outside the ship and taking off into the trees._

 _Kar'kha flared his mandibles, snarling both in anger at her desertion and pain from his injuries He started to replace his mask to pursue her, but Thwei'ja hissed suddenly, stepping in front of him. Kar'kha watched warily as Thwei'ja blocked his path, his arms rigid and his posture highly intimidating. The elder Yautja rumbled deeply and turned sharply, heading off after the tracks in a northerly direction, his wounds still untreated and his armor and weapons still broken. Kar'kha resisted the urge to follow, clenching his fists at his sides in anger and frustration. He knew that if he followed now, Thwei'ja would almost surely attack and possibly kill him for the insubordination. Luar'ka had made a grave error. Kar'kha knew that if she didn't tread with utmost caution and respect around Thwei'ja, that the young Avian would never again return to the ship._

 _Thwei'ja knew better than to allow the impulsive Youngblood to track the female. As he allowed the forest to swallow him up, he continued to track her footprints and her scent, never straying far from a northern trail. Though she changed her path multiple times, her trail remained simple to follow. Even when she took to the trees, Thwei'ja's sharp eyes and powerful mask enabled him to see the grooves in the tree trunks where her claws had gouged in, showing him which trees she'd jumped through and which way she'd gone. Even through all these changes, she never once strayed from her northern direction. He moved further and further from the ship, tired from his Hunt, in pain from his deep injury, but blocking it out as best he could as he tracked the Avian juvenile. If Kar'kha had been allowed to track her, he would likely have a difficult time dealing with her if she refused to return. Thwei'ja knew better than this. Whether he liked it or not, the juvenile had been accepted in the Clan and taught the ways of the Yautja. With rare exceptions, it was a grave transgression to allow prey to remain aware of their presence. No doubt she would reveal herself. If he found her before she had the chance to reveal her existence and her origin, she would have one of two options. Return with him to the ship and live, or refuse and die. There was no way he could allow her to reveal the secret of their existence. He clutched his weapon at his side, a curved bone blade on a mid-length staff. If he had to, he was fully prepared to end her life and destroy the evidence to protect the secrets of his Clan._

 _/ooo/_

That familiar, enormous red body, riddled with deep, off-colored scars and old acid burns from countless fights with _kainde amedha,_ there was no mistaking this dominating presence hovering over her. Luar'ka found herself more confused than afraid, though she knew she should most definitely be afraid. He refused to move his grip until she'd calmed sufficiently. When she finally settled, he released her brusquely and unsheathed his wrist blades on his right arm, deftly slicing through the netting surrounding her. This freed her arms and legs and allowed her to stand up. She got to her feet slowly, watching him carefully. He straightened up, standing at his full near nine foot height, almost four feet higher than she was. Luar'ka stood diminutive in his presence, confused as to his actions. She honestly had wondered if any of her pack would come after her, but she _certainly_ hadn't expected Thwei'ja himself to track her this far. She couldn't look at him, keeping her eyes focused on the ground as she waited for his wrath. However, though she waited for a while, he didn't move. Gradually, she chanced a glance up at him. He wasn't looking at her, rather he was turning his head slowly, examining the massacre around him. Luar'ka followed his gaze, but said nothing. She watched as he moved away from her, approaching one of the corpses and kneeling down, reaching out and carefully lifting up one of the wings of the dead Avian, examining it curiously. Luar'ka turned her gaze away, unable to look at the body of her former Clan member.

Thwei'ja noticed as she averted her gaze, suppressing his anger. These were very obviously others of her species. He could see through his mask the highly emaciated states of these once great predatory creatures. They hadn't been dead long, and the not-so-fresh wounds indicated they'd been attacked within the last few solar rotations of this planet. The intruding humans that the female had killed had most likely been looting through the corpses for anything useful. It was obvious that these last surviving Avians had been in decline, allowing the human populace in the area a chance to eradicate them entirely. The individual he was examining was practically flesh and bones. He doubted this Avian would have had the strength to fly while in such a pitiful state. He released the wing, letting it fall slack against the ground. He could see the female off to the side. Her head was bowed, her form limp. He watched her carefully for a moment, his eyes narrowed. But other than her drooped head, signifying mourning or despair, she never showed any other sign of sadness as she silently bid farewell to the last Avians. Thwei'ja returned his gaze to the multitude of carcases littering the plateau around him. He made sure to record everything he saw, right down to the last detail. This would be an important addition to the archives and Sechinde would want to see it. Since the Avian's appearance, information on her kind was being dug up more frequently and some Hunters were even beginning to wonder whether or not her kind could still be Hunted. This revelation of her Clan's genocide proved that the Avians were likely forever erased from the list. It was hard to believe how close his pack had come to this remaining pocket of Avians, surviving such a relatively short distance away. He rumbled low in his chest as he realized that only now was the female truly the 'Endling' he'd always referred to her as.

He glanced up at movement from the female, watching as she stalked over toward the bodies of the human hunters she'd slaughtered. He sat quietly and watched as she pulled a knife out of a holster she wore around her thigh, standing over the human closest to her. He watched as she knelt down and lowered the blade to the flesh of the human's neck. It took her a little longer, and he could see her struggling, but she finally managed to slice the sharp blade through the neck of the human male, grasping the scalp of the head and ripping it away completely from the spine. This task was what the wrist blades were designed for, to specially separate the spine and skull intact from the rest of the body. However, she had no such weapons and Thwei'ja wasn't about to assist her. These human males were hers to do what she would with. He had arrived on the plateau in time to watch her kill them in battle, a battle they had initiated with her upon her challenging shriek that he'd heard in its entirety. They were fair game and she had emerged the victor against them. He watched as she finished, panting and bent over in exhaustion, dragging the head away from the body. She hissed and slammed the head down on the ground away from her.

Thwei'ja stood up, facing her and watching for a moment. He grumbled softly in his throat, approaching quietly. The female didn't move, standing and staring menacingly at the head. He watched her a moment before reaching to his utility belt and opening a pack, pulling out a small length of cord. He approached her quietly, kneeling down and grasping the severed head.

"He was the first I killed," she mumbled, most likely to herself, "The first to attack me."

Thwei'ja said nothing, but picked up the head and strung the cord tightly around the stub of the neck, winding it around twice and tying it securely. He handed it to her, indicating she take it. She seemed to awaken from her reverie and did so, draping it behind her back between her wings and tying the cord loosely around her stomach and upper torso to secure it.

Luar'ka watched Thwei'ja as he straightened up, his height as intimidating as ever. He began to move away from the killing field, heading back the way he came. Luar'ka, instinctively knowing there was nothing else left for her here and unable to carry back her other victims' heads as trophies, followed after Thwei'ja. Innately wary, naturally nervous of him, but so desperate for some form of familiar comfort after her trek to the plateau that she didn't care anymore. She knew she would likely face severe punishment for her desertion. It was likely he'd take her back to the ship, depart for some unknown planet and leave her there for her transgression, but she honestly no longer cared. She'd accomplished her goal, to some extent. She'd returned to her birthplace, just as she'd promised. Her mission was complete, even though her family was now gone. The only semblance of anything she could call a family now remained with the Yautja. She trailed closely behind Thwei'ja as he walked slowly, leaving the sun-baked plateau and the many corpses of the last Avians behind them.

/ooo/

It was growing very late, darkness enveloping the land, slowly. Thwei'ja's visors had already turned bright green to allow for the low light around them, and Luar'ka's eyes now shone a fierce lime green as her own night vision began to take over. They had reached the former human encampment that Luar'ka had passed through, and her lengthy stay there had, unbeknownst to her, created a strong scent mark for Thwei'ja to follow her with. Luar'ka walked steadily behind him, noting that the further they walked, the slower he appeared to move. After a while, she realized he wasn't doing it so she could keep up. Shortly after they began their trek back, she'd noticed the deep gash festering across his back. The bleeding had slowed, but the wound appeared mottled and dark. She knew better than to say anything regarding his injury, though. Instead, her eyes were drawn to the darkening sky and her eyes widened as she saw the heavy black clouds beginning to roll in.

"Thwei'ja, it will rain, soon." she said.

"I am aware." he snarled, speaking to her for the first time since he'd found her. He paused, turning his head to look at his armor and equipment and uttering a frustrated grumble as he did so. He looked around cautiously, ascertaining whether or not the two of them were truly alone for the time being. He turned, moving away from the beaten path they were following as he approached a crumbling, decrepit human dwelling. The door was hanging open and he carefully moved inside, swallowed up by the shadows. The inside was a wreck with upended articles and chairs and a table sitting on its side against one of the broken portals. Thwei'ja scanned the room once, quickly, verifying that nothing else was currently hiding in there. He picked his way away from the broken wall and a wide hole in the roof before settling in a back corner. As he prepared to strip off and check his gear, he turned to the female Avian and saw that she was nowhere to be seen. The fact that she could move so quickly and silently didn't surprise him anymore; he was irritated at the fact that she'd vanished again. He was about to stand and head outside to find her when his sharp ears picked up a strange, fumbling sound outside the wall. He chuffed curiously, tilting his head to better track the sound. Moving carefully, he approached the portal, peering out through the broken glass and he spied the female, moving in an erratic pattern between this and the other dwelling beside it. She was dragging her trophy around as she walked backwards, moving randomly toward the trees as the head bounced infrequently on the ground before her, leaving an occasional splash of drying blood on the rocks. When she got to the trees, she pulled the head up into her hands and he watched as she bent her neck forward, using her teeth to rip and tear at the broken flesh of the head, ripping a sizable chunk off of it. This, she smeared against the trunk of the nearest tree and then tossed into the bushes as far from her as she could.

He rumbled deeply in his chest as he watched her move quietly back toward the shelter; she was smarter than he'd given her credit for. Crude though it was, she was creating a false scent disguise around their shelter. This would discourage animals from drawing near and would fool the _kainde amedha_ just long enough for one or both of them to notice their presence first. He watched as she shimmied in through the broken door and set her trophy on the back of a chair where she left it hanging. He had to admit, he was impressed. It seemed like some of their teachings had rubbed off rather effectively on her.

He settled back in the corner, listening as the ground quaked from the intense roll of thunder that swept through the sky. _Just in time_ , he thought to himself as the sky opened up and rain came pouring down. While it would have felt cooling on his aching injury, he knew that it wasn't good to get his gear soaking wet. In an area still infested with _kainde amedha_ , he needed it to be kept dry.

He ignored the female as she wandered through the dwelling, inspecting the walls and discarded articles left by the former occupants. This was the first time he'd been able to sit and recover. He'd kept on the move nearly nonstop while tracking her, even moving at night. It was how he'd managed to catch up with her to begin with, entering the canyon just behind her.

He shifted against the wall and trilled shrilly as this movement ripped open a patch of healed skin over the injury on his back. Grumbling and snarling under his breath, he sat up and twisted his head around to look toward his back. Of course, he couldn't see his injury, but he could tell it wasn't closing. He was going to have to treat it. And as much as it angered him to consider, he was going to require her help to reach it. If it became infected while he was out like this, he'd be in serious trouble, not to mention humiliating trouble. Only Youngbloods were scatterbrained enough to let infection become a threat. Torquing his mandibles with disgust at the notion, but knowing he had little choice in the matter, he let out a deep, rattling sigh, "Avian," he snapped.

The female was perched on the upended table, playing with a rodent of some kind that she held squirming by the tail. She looked up at his voice, dropping the heavy rodent with a _thud_. Her feathers bristled and she jumped down, approaching him carefully with her head bowed.

"What is it?"

Thwei'ja ignored her and fished through his discarded gear, pulling out his med kit. He sat with his legs crossed, pulling a syringe, some healing agent and a disinfectant from the box. He handed her the disinfectant, "I cannot reach. You will assist me."

"Your injury?" she inquired, glancing toward his back, Did you sustain that during the extermination of the hive?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "It is becoming infected."

The female eyed him carefully, but took the proffered supplies from him and moved to stand behind him. Even sitting down, he was nearly her height. He'd never been this near her before and eyed her warily as she shifted his tendrils over his shoulders and out of the way, and broke open the packet of disinfectant, smearing it surprisingly deftly across the open wound. It plunged down his back between his shoulder blades and running dangerously close to his spine. Any nearer and it would have severed it. It was caused by the wicked blade of the Hard Meat's tail. He hissed softly at the contact and was silently surprised by how confidently she worked around his wound. Than'ja had clearly taught her well. She worked gently enough that he felt little pain, but efficiently enough that she finished swiftly. She stepped back, her hands covered in his green blood.

"Give me the syringe." she said, startling him. She reached around and took it from him before he could react. He glanced back at her once, meaningfully before turning and facing forward. He braced himself, steadying his position and grasping the frame of the portal in the wall beside him. He felt her move, steadily, quickly and surely before he felt the syringe suddenly stabbed forcefully, deep into his wound. But even that didn't hurt nearly as much as the agonizing flare of pain that erupted outward beneath his skin as she pulled the trigger and injected the fluid into him. He couldn't suppress the deafening roar of agony, his whole body shaking as the wall beneath his grip crumpled in his hand and his other fist smashed down through the floor, lest he grab the Avian and crush the life out of her in his retaliation. For such a large wound, he'd been forced to use a matching larger amount of the healing agent, which only magnified the amount of pain he felt. Once the waves of pain reached their crest, they began to fade swiftly. Thwei'ja's lungs heaved as he struggled to breathe, the pain so great he almost forgot how. His skin felt like it was crackling and twisting, he could hear the hissing sound as the rapid healing agent did its job. Gasping, he slowly started to relax as the flaring, burning pain began to fade. The injury would be sealed shut, preventing infection from developing, but this was a last-resort remedy that no Yautja wished to use. He really should have sought treatment before leaving the ship.

He slumped backward, his body feeling heavier than normal and slightly numb; the residual effects of the unbelievable pain. Leaning against the wall, he watched as the female gathered up the medical supplies and packed them away again in his med kit, not sparing him a glance as she did so. He watched her quietly, noting how she put everything back with precision and order before shutting the lid. She slid it back across to him and moved into the shadows a few feet away, curling up nearby with her tail tucked around her body. Thwei'ja stared at her a moment, wanting dearly to shut his eyes and rest a moment, but knowing their situation was too precarious. The healing had been necessary; he'd needed medical treatment for his wound, but he knew of no Yautja who could hold back the cries of pain under application of _miin'bko_. He could only hope that he hadn't accidentally alerted anything to their position.

Outside, the rain came down in sheets and Thwei'ja watched it silently, his eyes half-lidded. He kept one of his wrist bracers on his arm, resting in his lap as he struggled to resist the increasingly heavy effects of weariness. He was thoroughly exhausted. Between the extermination of the hive and then trekking this far out here after the female Avian, he knew he'd reach his limit sooner than later. But he had to hold on a while longer. He'd endured worse than this and he could keep going a while longer. He snarled softly and turned his head away from the rain, sitting up on his haunches as he inspected his armor, replacing each piece to his body again once he'd finished with it. He sensed he was being watched and looked up at the Avian, laying there and staring at him. He growled softly, but menacingly at her. Her eyes raised slightly, but she kept her head down, as was proper. Her tail thumped lightly on the floor, "You are weary." she stated quietly.

Thwei'ja didn't respond. That much was quite obvious. He stared angrily at her, holding one of his shoulder plates tightly in his claws.

She sat up a little straighter, "I will keep watch, Thwei'ja, should you choose to rest."

He flared his mandibles at her with a low snarl, "Keep your place," he hissed, "For however long it may last, Endling."

She flinched at the moniker and it took him a second to realize why. He recalled the corpses of her Clan members still littering that plateau and he closed his tusks, fixing her with a stern leer, "You have forgotten your place in the pack and the Clan," he snarled, "And when we return, you shall receive adequate punishment."

"I am ready." she said softly. She looked up at him, "How is your wound?"

Thwei'ja's eyes darkened, "Worry for your own well being, Endling."

"I am inquiring for the sake of your own med kit. The supplies within were quite low." she remarked. Thwei'ja's eyes narrowed and he recalled how bare his supplies now were following such a harsh extermination. She wasn't inquiring on his weakness so much as his efficiency in the field.

"My wound has been sealed; I shall finish healing very soon and we will proceed." he answered.

"Should you or I require further treatment, my med kit is well stocked." she informed him. She curled more tightly around herself, tucking her wings back carefully. Her eyes flitted up to him briefly, but she said nothing. Thwei'ja's spines stiffened in irritation, "Speak, Endling." he commanded.

She unfolded her body and sat up straight, watching him guardedly, "Thwei'ja...why did you come after me?" she asked.

"You had deserted. It was my duty to track you down." he replied, reaching around to his armor and pulling it toward him. He pulled a cloth to him that had been attached to the side of his loincloth, using this separate piece to clean his armor plates.

"Why?" she asked, "Why not simply let me go? I was prepared to turn this mountain into my territory."

"You would not have had the chance." he replied to this without looking at her, " Had your mission gone as planned, mine would have followed suit. You are fortunate your Clan had perished and their killers dispatched."

He watched as her brow furrowed, her feathers flaring slightly, "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

His upper mandibles split apart in a menacing sneer, "Had you succeeded in revealing yourself to either your Clan or surviving _ooman_ prey, I would have taken your life as soon as I found you."

Her breath hitched as the magnitude of his words hit her. His mission had been intended as an assassination in case she revealed the existence of the Yautja. He paused in his cleaning and stared her down, "The Yautja keep themselves hidden from their prey, female. This is our way. To reveal oneself to prey is frowned upon. Our secrets must remain so in order to preserve our way of life."

"You were...going to kill me?" she muttered.

"Yes. However, all potential witnesses to your arrival have perished and you killed the remainders. There was no need to end your existence as yet."

The female seemed to fall still as she processed this information. She looked away, her tail swishing on the ground behind her. Thwei'ja glanced at it curiously and then refocused on her. Her back was straight, her face expressionless. She turned to him abruptly, "They have shown me the way, once again." she said quietly.

"Hm?"

"The _Paya_. Yet again, they have shown me mercy." she said, turning fully to face him, "Time and again, they have shown pity to me, keeping me alive. I have survived so many battles through their guidance, whether I knew it or not." she said, sitting back on her haunches and staring off into space, "I never fully realized it. They have been looking out for me." she whispered.

Thwei'ja snarled in disgust, but merely shook his head, " The _Paya_ make their decisions. No doubt you are being guided. For whatever inconceivable reason." he grumbled distastefully. He was aware of the female glaring at him and turned to face her.

"Do you despise me that much, Thwei'ja?" she asked.

"It is not a matter of liking or disliking." Thwei'ja told her, reaching behind him to carefully touch his healing back. He grunted as he brought his arm back around and sighed, "You are prey trying to assimilate into my kind's way of life. I have no reason to have experienced this phenomenon before."

"So then you are afraid of what will happen?" she said irresponsibly. Thwei'ja flared his mandibles and lunged forward before she could react, grabbing her throat and throwing her to the floor, "Watch what you say, Endling." he snapped down at her. He released her when she began clawing at his hand, trying to catch air. He sat back, expecting her to scramble away from him out of fear after what he'd just done, but instead she sat up slowly and held her position, near enough for him to grab her again if he chose to. Puzzled, he simply stared at her a moment as she turned and watched him warily. His eyes narrowed, "I am not afraid, Avian," he told her, "I am apprehensive. There is a great difference between the two."

"You are right. Forgive me for what I said. Offense was not my intent."

"For whatever reason, you have been accepted, both by the _Paya_ and by the Clan. For as long as I have known the Matriarch, I have been aware of her fondness toward thinking outside of the collective opinion."

"You know the Matriarch well?"

"Not very well. She is my bearer." he said simply.

"Oh, I see. She gave birth to and raised you. I had no idea."

"Until Sechinde took me as his apprentice."

"It seems to me that this Clan has a penchant for difference." the Avian said, making him trill softly in agreement, "You would be correct in thinking so," Thwei'ja told her, "The _Sev'kai_ as a singular Clan tend to be more progressive in their way of thinking than most other Clans. It is deeply rooted in Leaders who see the benefits of change other Clans do not. This is why I believe that your lot in this life could only have been deigned to occur by the _Paya_. For you to have been found by this Clan rather than another was quite fortuitous."

"I have come to this same conclusion myself," she said, flexing her wings slowly, "And I deem myself rather fortunate, as well."

"Then answer me this; why did you run?" Thwei'ja asked, cocking his head slightly as he leered at her. The female looked away under his sharp gaze as she seemingly collected her thoughts.

"I did not want to run," she said, "But I felt that I had to."

"You had to?"

"That plateau where you found me was the place where I was born. Those Avians were my Clan that I was born into. Last season, I...was expelled from their ranks."

"Under what cause?" he asked.

She unfurled her wings, easily large enough to support her in flight now, if his prowess in tracking had anything to say for the times when her trail outright vanished from the ground and trees during his trek. She looked at her wings, her expression downcast, "I was a runt. Our Clan was struggling. We had been pushed further and further into northern territory since I was born. I was denied food."

Thwei'ja frowned at this. Within the Yautja, even runty sucklings were cared for and nurtured by their bearers under the belief that the _Paya_ would decide their fates and weed out the truly weak individuals over the course of their lifetimes. Oftentimes, the youngsters would accidentally kill one another during rough play in the first few years with their bearers. Runts usually suffered this fate simply because of how small they were. It didn't always happen this way, however. A few of his own young had been born runts over the many seasons he'd lived. Some had died, certainly, but a strong few went on to become capable and formidable warriors in their own right, as was to be expected with a strong sire such as he. Circumstances of birth usually meant nothing when compared to the spirits and strength of the youngsters in question.

So to hear that the Avian population had hit such hard times that they had begun denying their own offspring food and care was quite a shock, even to him.

He refocused his attention on the female as she spoke again, "The day I was abandoned, there was an accident," she said softly, "My cousin and I...we were playing up on the ridges. Neither of us could fly, yet. Peregrine jumped down, or maybe she slid. I am not quite sure, even now. She missed her footing and fell. I caught her...I tried to hold on, but...She fell into the river below us. They never found her. I suppose that was the final straw for Condor. He had me taken out to the very edges of our territory. I was left there to fend for myself. I eventually departed from that place when I realized there were _kainde amedha_ infesting those woods. It was not long following this that Kar'kha found me and brought me to the ship."

"I remember." Thwei'ja said testily. How could he forget? He'd argued with Kar'kha for a while after that little incident.

"Do not act so annoyed, Thwei'ja," she grumbled, "No one forced you to allow me on board."

Thwei'ja snarled at this, before realizing she was correct. To this day, he wasn't sure why he'd allowed Kar'kha to bring her onto the ship. Perhaps he'd been too tired to argue. It wasn't like he was a Youngblood any longer.

He twitched his mandibles and grumbled to himself, momentarily distracted when she suddenly began reaching around for her pack she'd attached a pelt satchel to a belt about her waist. She detached it and pulled it around into her lap. She opened it up and pulled out some strips of dried meat. She picked one up and held it out toward him. Thwei'ja eyed it distastefully and turned away with a short chuff. He heard her set it down on the floor near him and listened as she began gnawing on another piece. After a short while, Thwei'ja finally sighed heavily and took the piece of dried meat, eating it quickly. He was still exhausted, but at least now he felt a little more alert.

"We are returning to the ship?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered without looking at her.

"I saw the ship taking off when I was out in the mountains. I thought you all had left this planet."

"No," Thwei'ja said, turning toward her, "I departed after you. The ship is currently in stationary orbit around the planet. They will descend to meet us in a short while."

He watched the female as she looked up at him, "You came after me to kill me if I had revealed myself," she reiterated, "I evaded this outcome. I am prepared for whatever punishment I will receive. What can I possibly expect?"

"This is not up to me. You will be judged by the Leaders."

"I see."

Thwei'ja continued working on his armor, trying to ignore the female Avian sitting near him. With his intrigued curiosity though, it was more difficult than he'd expected. Before he and Me'vi-te ceased speaking with one another, he had often accompanied the Arbitrator on Hunts for Bad Bloods. The one thing he always noticed that they seemed to have in common was a seemingly innate lack of courage. The Bad Bloods ran from everything, including all forms of punishment, and they viewed anything as fair game. They were truly cowardly in nature.

And yet here the female sat, a juvenile at best and barely trained in their ways, facing potential punishment for what may turn out to be a very serious transgression. Yet she showed no outward signs of fear. He could smell her blood racing through her veins as her heart beat furiously in her chest, but that didn't necessarily mean anything in particular. She was a different creature, barely a third his size in comparison. But she faced this news with all the conviction of an Elder. She could very well lose her honor, what little rank she had, or even her life over what she'd done and he suspected she knew this. He set his armor down, facing her, "Why are you unafraid?" he asked.

"Why should I be afraid?"

"I know not how you will be punished. However, I am able to promise that it will not be a light punishment. Why do you not fear this?"

"I accept that I have done wrong. I am entirely at fault. When the time comes, I will stand proud before those who will pass judgment on me and accept what they tell me. All I can do is hope that they will not kill me." she said quietly, looking away from him, then.

Thwei'ja let out a low thoughtful rumble, sitting back and bending his legs slightly before him as he settled back, "I doubt that this will warrant your death," he told her. She fixed him with a suspicious leer, "Do you wish it to?"

"I do not." Thwei'ja said without hesitation, "My thoughts of you do not matter. You have proven yourself a capable fighter. You are small, but you are quick. You can hold your own in battle. You have proven yourself to the Clan. What I think is of no consequence."

The young female unfolded her legs from beneath her and turned to face him directly, "And what _do_ you think, Thwei'ja?"

"I do not wish for your death, Endling." he told her, "I do not care highly for you, I do not appreciate your presence within my pack, and I question Sechinde's choice to keep you in the Clan, but I will say nothing on the matter. I will tolerate you as I am expected to, but keep in mind that should I receive the order to, I will be the one to kill you."

His eyes narrowed as she bowed her head to him, "I expect nothing less from you, Thwei'ja. And should the situation come to it, I would be honored to die fighting you."

He honestly hadn't been expecting her to say this and he stared at her in amazement and confusion. He watched as she glanced out the window at the rain coming down in sheets around the dwelling. A heavy roll of thunder crashed through the air around them. Thwei'ja, unconcerned, leaned back against the wall, his bracers on his arms in case of threat as he closed his eyes and attempted to recuperate. He heard the female get up and begin moving around, exploring their shelter. He cracked one eye open to watch her warily as she paced around the room, opening compartments and peering through darkened and broken doorways. He shook his head, opening his mandibles briefly as he realized that her curiosity could very well be the death of her. He looked up at a sharp squeal from the other room and followed her as she tore back into the room chasing another rodent. She pounced with a snarl and all he heard was a shrill squeak before the room fell still. He heard the sound of bones cracking and sighed heavily, closing his eyes. She moved back over to the window where he sat and curled up across from him, grooming herself quietly. From one cracked and half-lidded eye, he watched silently as she moved her gaze around the room, holding perfectly still save for her head occasionally moving to follow a noise she may have heard. She was placing herself in a sentry position. Part of him was annoyed, since his sharp hearing was able to pick up the slightest footfalls of insignificant insects in the next room over. However, he was in desperate need of rest and if she wanted to use her senses in this manner, it was of no consequence to him.

The storm continued to rage outside. With the rain pounding on the roof and the occasional lightning strike crackling across the sky, smaller noises were somewhat drowned out. Thwei'ja was certain his senses were well trained on everything he could possibly overhear. He heard absolutely nothing to convince him that they could be in any trouble.

The female started grumbling all of a sudden, her head shooting up as she raised up on her haunches. At her alert, Thwei'ja sat up a little straighter, looking warily around the room. He moved slowly into a kneeling position, keeping his eye on the female as he did so. She remained hunched over, but her growl didn't cease and her agitation only seemed to grow. On reflex, Thwei'ja released a low, grumbling, broken purr, clacking his tusks a few times as he turned in his place. He glanced at his armor, lying where he'd left it while cleaning it. He reached down and replaced his mask quickly. At the moment, he saw nothing. He donned his armor quickly, redressing in seconds. The female Avian rose up to a half-standing position as he did so, unfolding her wings slightly. Her growl deepened and Thwei'ja activated his mask.

They weren't alone anymore.

A/N: Sorry for the late update. My computer wouldn't highlight again. I don't know what causes that. Maybe I need to upgrade. Either way, here you go, my wonderful readers! Hope you enjoy! My, what a lovely little cliffhanger, lol


	27. Twenty Seven

Twenty-Seven

Luar'ka could smell Thwei'ja's weakness. She knew he was still recovering and she knew that part of his exhaustion stemmed from his lengthy trek after her. So while they rested in the human dwelling, she knew her senses needed to be trained higher than ever. Thwei'ja was close to his limit. The raspy breaths he took, the way his head bowed forward as he sat against the wall, the deep injury on his back, everything showed and even he was having trouble hiding his fatigue.

This was why it came as little surprise to her that he didn't notice the faint hissing sounds coming from outside the broken down home. Alerted by her growling, Thwei'ja donned his bio-mask and armor and readied himself for action. Luar'ka watched him carefully as she turned to face the door. The rain was still pouring down in sheets. Thwei'ja's mask wouldn't work as efficiently as it normally would. On top of that, the cloak wouldn't function in this weather and they knew it. Luar'ka didn't even have much armor, a mask, _or_ the cloak, so she'd have to rely on her speed and her knife to help her through this.

Thwei'ja crept into the shadows carefully, his gaze focused on the broken portal opposite their position. Luar'ka watched him carefully, hunkered down near the doorway leading further into the dwelling. He peered out through the rain and haze. Faint skittering footsteps could be heard racing around outside in the downpour. Luar'ka stared forward, waiting for the right opportunity as she crept further into the open.

 _Sckreeee!_

Thwei'ja roared suddenly as the door caved in behind him and the telltale oily black form of the _kainde amedha_ barreled into the room, its tail lashing as it stood on the weakened, busted door beneath its feet. It straightened up, saliva pouring from its mouth as it snarled at its hated foe. Thwei'ja charged forward, just in time to meet the monster as it jumped toward him, colliding heavily with him as both fighters grappled to get in a good hit.

Luar'ka leaped up onto the back of an old chair, struggling to remain quiet, lest she break Thwei'ja's concentration as he struggled with his foe. She watched intently, waiting for any moment she might be needed to jump in and assist. Her feathers flared as another hissing screech echoed in from outside and another ominous black head snaked its way through the open doorway, spying the ongoing fight raging in the corner. Luar'ka watched in horror as this second beast hissed menacingly and rushed inside, charging Thwei'ja still battling the first one in the corner of the dwelling. The first Hard Meat had grabbed onto his arm with its sharp teeth and he lashed his other arm downward, his wrist blades grazing off the side of its domed head, but the force hard enough to cause it to let go with a hiss. The second one leaped onto his chest and Thwei'ja reacted quickly, shoving his newly freed arm up into the beast's jaws and saving his face from being ripped off as it lunged downward. His fist closed around the second jaw and he yanked hard, ripping it out of the creature's mouth and backing away to avoid the spray of corrosive blood pouring out as it snarled at him.

Luar'ka, crouched in the shadows, watching in growing horror as Thwei'ja was slowly overwhelmed. She wanted to call out to him, help him in some way. He was exhausted from his journey and still healing from his injuries. But she knew that she had to stay silent for the moment and let him handle it.

So when a third _kainde amedha_ made its presence known in the open doorway, its rain soaked armor gleaming in the crack of a sudden lightning strike, Luar'ka's eyes darkened. She wasn't going to let another of these monsters attack her packmate. Silently as she could, she bolted down from the back of the chair and raced toward the door, barreling into the newcomer with all the strength she had. At just over five feet high, she didn't weigh very much, but her full body tackling the new Hard Meat was enough to send it reeling backward out the door, away from the fight still raging inside the human dwelling. She heard Thwei'ja roar angrily, but outside of his voice, everything else was lost to her as she focused on her reeling target, writhing on the ground where she'd tackled it. She was able to recover much more quickly than the creature did, scrambling to her feet and hissing. The _kainde amedha_ stood up and faced her, snarling and salivating heavily. It rushed her and she swiveled out of its way, unsheathing her knife and raking it across its head. Its stride faltered, its jaws snapping viciously at her as it stumbled briefly, turning to face her, its tail lashing. A sharp crashing sound inside the dwelling drew both of their attention away as the lifeless corpse of one of the monsters smashed through the side of the home suddenly, splintering wood and remaining glass from the portal. At the same time, another _kainde amedha_ perched on the roof of the dwelling, clawing its way down the side and enough to push its head through the gaping hole where Thwei'ja could be heard battling the remaining creature fiercely. Luar'ka watched as the creature she'd been fighting appeared to lose interest in her and start creeping back toward the home, toward the louder fight. She screeched shrilly and leaped onto the back of the beast, digging her knife into its neck and yanking it back out before the acid blood could coat it too thoroughly. It snarled shrilly in anger and whirled as she leaped off its back and landed several feet away, her tail lashing for balance. She beat her wings furiously, her feathers flaring as she bared her teeth, spreading her feet apart and bellowing a challenge to her opponent. Thwei'ja had enough to deal with while fighting two of these creatures while his body was still exhausted and wounded. Luar'ka wasn't about to let a fourth one join the fight and was determined to keep this one focused on her. Her challenge worked; it turned and hissed sharply, charging toward her and tackling her to the ground on her back. Her feet clawed viciously against its belly, shoving with all her might to push it off as she shoved her knife up into its mouth. She felt the blade lodge into the bones of its skull through the roof of the mouth, just missing the brain cavity. It issued a shriek of pain and this gave her the opportunity to shove its flailing body off of her, rolling to her feet and lunging at it in a series of mock charges, trying to entice it to follow her. It rose up on its hind legs, tail slashing the air viciously. She had its full attention and she took off toward the trees, hearing it charge after her and leaving the sounds of the battle behind them. She tore through the trees and thick bushes, feeling twigs and branches snap beneath her feet as she ran surely and swiftly, back toward the ravines outside the village. The sharp shrieks and snarls of the creature weren't far behind her. She didn't dare turn around as she ran, searching her environment quickly for just the right battleground for her needs. She couldn't fight this thing at her size just anywhere; she needed height and she needed crags. In the darkness and the rushing vegetation, she stumbled badly when her feet hit slippery rocks suddenly, climbing the slope up through the trees. She recovered quickly and scaled the rocks, feeling the vibrations through the air as the Hard Meat took a snap at her leg and just barely missed. Now placed on a rock several feet above the creature, she turned for the first time and stared down at it. It scrambled up the rocks after her, hissing ominously at her as she leaped up onto a higher rock, out of its reach. It hit her then, as she dodged another of its attacks; she was alone in this fight. This was a mirror of the fight she'd endured the year before when she was being pursued by another of this creature's brood. But this time, she knew things would end differently. Luar'ka tore across the ridge, practically feeling the thing pursuing her as she wove around the rocks on the narrow trail. She tumbled down a muddy slope, falling into a rocky overhang held up by a large, narrow rock, almost like a natural shelter. Undeterred from the slippery slope, the black monster charged after her, moving nimbly down the incline and straight into the overhang. Luar'ka tumbled out through the other side and landed on all fours on the pebble-covered slope, watching as the creature followed her through the gap and instantly got its spines lodged in the rocks. It screeched and flailed furiously, its tail slashing through the air dangerously close to her face. Luar'ka scowled, baring her teeth as she rushed forward, leaping up onto the rocks over the flailing tail and coming down to land directly on it, crushing it against the ground beneath her. The creature struggled furiously to escape its rocky prison and she knew she didn't have much time. She unsheathed her knife, turning it in her hand as she brought it up, slashing downward on the end of the tail she had pinned beneath her. The blade sliced easily through the relatively thinner hide of the end of the tail, severing the wicked bladed end, which bounced down the slope, the acidic blood sizzling and eating through the rocks it splashed onto. The rain slightly diluted it and it cooled much more quickly than normal. The _kainde amedha_ unleashed a bellow of anger at the loss of its tail and shifted its center of gravity, smashing against the rocks as it finally freed itself. The overhang came crashing down, cracking and tumbling heavily down the slope, just missing Luar'ka as she leaped out of the way, landing steadily on a higher ridge and pulling herself up. Gasping, she turned, still clutching the knife handle as she faced her enemy. Acidic blood gushed from the end of the tail. Luar'ka no longer had to worry about the bladed tail, but she still had to contend with that horrible mouth. Furious, the creature lunged toward her, narrowly missing snatching her with those terrible jaws as she ducked beneath its grasp, tumbling once down the slope and righting herself quickly. The creature, now angered beyond belief, screeched and charged down after her. Luar'ka coiled her legs and jumped up over it as it reached her position, flipping her body in the air and grabbing its spines with a death grip, hanging onto its back as strongly as she could as it began to flail and buck, trying to throw her off. She hung on, gripping its hard, thick spines and digging her claws and talons in as she released her right hand, still holding on to the knife handle. Before she could flip the knife to a stabbing angle, the beast reared back suddenly and smashed against the rocks behind it, knocking the air out of her lungs as her body was crushed against them beneath the weight of the creature. A flaring, flaming pain erupted within her chest and only for her claws digging into the creature's back did she manage to keep from falling off. The creature hissed savagely and whirled, and Luar'ka ground her teeth, shaking the stars from her eyes as she flipped the knife and leaned forward, pulling her arm back and jamming it forward with a shrill scream that carried into the sky. The blade of the knife plunged into the neck of the beast, sinking deep into the spot where she'd stabbed it shortly before. The well-made blade, strong enough to sever through skin, and muscle, and bone, and tendon, sank further and further into the creature's neck. Luar'ka cried out as the acid blood began to spill out and splashed against her hand and she sliced the blade further back toward her own body, away from the flow of blood. The blade plunged up around the line of the neck, toward the vertical spines on the creature's back. With this cut, its spinal cord was severed and its movements suddenly halted, replaced by eerie, twitchy convulsions as its thrashing ceased. Luar'ka pulled her hand back and toppled off the back of the beast, landing heavily in the rocks as she hugged her hand tightly against her chest, tears streaming from her eyes due to the pain. Even through her watery vision, she could see her hand, could see that it hadn't been completely coated in acid blood, but had received enough that her skin and smaller chunks of muscle had been singed away, blood flowing freely down her hand and her arm. Nearby, the body of the _kainde amedha_ collapsed in a sickening heap on the ground, the acidic blood flowing from the neck and down the slope, the sizzling and crackling loud enough to almost hurt her ears as it carved out a smoking, black trail through the rocks, forming a bubbling, scorching pool at the bottom that ate away any and all vegetation it came in contact with. Luar'ka lay there, her chest heaving as her head throbbed from the blow. Her breath came in shaky gasps, her whole body shaking as the adrenaline slowly began to wear off. Her eyes didn't focus very well, but she could see the dead monster lying not far from her. It lay motionless, the rain pouring hard around them. Luar'ka's entire body was soaked, her feathers drooping from the weight of the water coating them. She couldn't bring herself to move, her eyes glued on the body of the Hard Meat.

She had killed it. She had actually killed it.

It was a long time before she could bring herself to move, and it was only thanks to the sound of footsteps approaching her position, forcing her to struggle to sit up, her wings quivering and her body shaking to match. She raised her head, looking up as Thwei'ja approached her. She stared at him, her eyes still watery from the pain of the acid eating through her skin. He had survived, his body now riddled with deep gashes and wounds where his bright green blood ran freely and easily down his skin, washed away by the rain. He stared at her, his mask rendering his face nearly emotionless but for one corner where it had been cracked and broken, revealing his blood-shot right eye. His armor was cracked and shattered in some places. Blood poured from his tendrils and she could see where one of them had been completely bitten in two. So much blood was pouring from his injuries that his skin was nearly dyed green. Unless he told her, it was impossible to tell how many of those creatures he'd had to fight before he finally emerged victorious. Luar'ka heaved herself to her feet, shakily standing before him and eying him up and down.

"You...you are wounded..." she muttered through the downpour. Thwei'ja rumbled deeply, but this was different than his past growls directed at her. This one was much deeper, almost contemplative as he stared her down. He almost seemed to be examining her. He removed his mask slowly, setting it on the ground as he stepped forward and knelt down. He reached down, grasping her right arm with a grip that wasn't exactly gentle, but wasn't nearly as firm as it could have been. He cocked his head at her scorched and shriveled skin, her entire hand a blotchy red and white pattern where the acid had eaten parts of her flesh away, revealing muscle beneath. She was lucky; anymore exposure to that vicious concoction and she could have lost that hand altogether. Luar'ka struggled to keep her fingers open, afraid to close her hand in case it should freeze that way.

"I...," she stammered, "I killed it, Thwei'ja. I think I cut its throat open."

She turned slightly to glance sidelong at the lifeless corpse behind her. He examined her hand, turning it carefully and stretching her fingers back. He ticked his tusks together curiously, another low rumble escaping him as he released her and stood, moving over to the corpse of the _kainde amedha_. He bent down, examining the neck where she'd slashed it nearly clean off. The spine was completely sliced through but for one, tiny sliver still holding the head to the rest of the body. The corpse was still sizzling as blood continued to leak from the gaping orifice. Thwei'ja chuffed softly and turned to her, issuing a soft bark as he ordered her to approach. Luar'ka did so, her legs weak and shaky from the adrenaline leaving her system. The rain had slowed at this point and she was grateful for it as she began to shiver from the chill. But she ignored it as best she could while she knelt down beside him, watching him carefully. Thwei'ja pulled a knife from a holster about his thigh, similar to the one she now wore. He reached toward the corpse and grabbed the right arm, using the knife to deftly slice the front claw from the hand. He gently shoved her into a sitting position in front of him and indicated she watch. He leaned over and dipped the tip of the claw into the sickeningly yellow blood still bubbling free of the body. He turned again and faced Luar'ka, placing his left hand on her head with his thumb brushing her feathers aside. He raised the claw up and she watched, her breath coming in short, nervous gasps as he touched the acid-covered tip of the claw to her forehead. Her body threatened to shake violently, but she ground her teeth together and held it back, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt the acid sear away the skin on her forehead. He seemed to be at it for hours, but he finally finished and pulled away swiftly to prevent an accidental burn. He set the claw down, waiting as she relaxed as her fresh marking healed. Gradually, Luar'ka's breathing slowed and she cracked her eyes open, raising them slowly to look at him in disbelief. Had he really just done that?

"Thwei'ja...what...?" she mumbled.

He reached down to take her left, uninjured hand and opened it up. Using his claw, he retraced the mark he'd just engraved onto her forehead, two half-moon symbols with curves facing one another and two matching symbols upright and facing one another at opposite angles. Luar'ka's eyes widened and her gaze shot up to his face where, now somewhat marred by the many scars he carried, a similar mark had been etched long ago into his elegant crest above his eyes. It was the mark of the Clan, of the _Sev'kai_.

"The mark?" she muttered.

"You fought bravely by my side," he rumbled slowly, deeply, "You faced your foe without fear and you assisted well in the defeat of our shared enemy. You challenged your foe and bested it. You have emerged victorious and earned the mark of the Clan."

Luar'ka jumped and immediately bowed her head before him, "My deepest gratitude, honored Leader." she said quietly, "I will uphold the honor of the Clan until I can no longer fight and am claimed by the _Paya_."

Thwei'ja rumbled deeply as he watched her, pleased at her response. He sat back, "You have earned my respect," he told her, "I care little for you, or your well being, I care little for your standing, and should your transgressions kill you, I will not mourn your death. However, I do respect you, and I respect the honor you uphold. Continue to defend this honor as you swear loyalty to the Clan."

"I will." she said without hesitation, "And should my death be ordained for what I have done, I would consider it an honor to fight you to the death."

Thwei'ja stood up and stepped back, gesturing to the corpse of the Hard Meat. Luar'ka knew without words that she was to claim her prize. She moved forward and grasped the knife with her left hand, favoring her injured right hand. She clenched her teeth as she dragged the edge of the knife down through the remaining skin and armor, working feverishly. Thwei'ja stood off to the side, watching her patiently with his broken mask replaced to his face. Finally, the head cracked free of the corpse and Luar'ka caught it before it fell down the slope. She turned it over a few times, trying to figure out how to carry it. Thwei'ja stepped forward and knelt again. He pulled some more thick cord from the pack about his waist and, to her surprise, showed her how to string up the head upside down and at an angle to prevent more blood from splashing onto her while she carried it. Luar'ka followed his movements and then copied them when he handed the cord off to her, recreating his technique somewhat slowly, but successfully. To her amazement, he nodded in approval and rumbled deeply in satisfaction. As she watched him stand up and head back in the direction of the human village, she couldn't suppress the intense feeling of pride she felt; of all the scant praise she'd received over the past year, she knew without a shadow of doubt that she would never forget what it felt like to receive praise from Thwei'ja. For as long as she lived, she would remember this day.

/ooo/

They returned briefly to the human settlement. Luar'ka didn't understand why, at first. She walked quickly behind Thwei'ja, keeping her trophy close to her back with the cord strung across her chest just as he'd shown her. He never glanced at her, but he wasn't nearly as tense at her presence as he'd been before. He said she'd won his respect. Honestly, Luar'ka felt honored to even know this much.

As they entered the human village again, walking along the cracked and broken street, Luar'ka understood why he'd returned to this place. She was able to see that after she'd taken off into the trees with her pursuer on her heels, Thwei'ja had had to battle a total of four _kainde amedha_. She could see the bodies in the remains of their shelter. And judging from how many more wounds he'd received, Luar'ka was deeply secretive of her worry for his condition. But she didn't dare voice this concern aloud, not if she valued her own life at all.

She watched as he approached the various corpses he'd left behind and examined them. He took no trophies from his kills and Luar'ka watched as he pulled a small vial of blue liquid out of his satchel. He opened it and poured a small amount of the liquid over the corpse of the creature nearest him. She watched in amazement as the body began to fizzle and dissolve before her eyes, shrinking further and further down until there was nothing left of it. He straightened up and moved to the other corpses, performing the same thing to each of them until there was nothing left. Luar'ka felt the blood drain from her face when she realized how near she'd been to having that strange fluid used on her had she successfully revealed—

No! No, she would _not_ think of that. That chapter of her life was over and done with, this time for good! She was Blooded now; she had more important things to worry about! Enough!

She snarled, making Thwei'ja look up at her curiously, cocking his head to one side. He grumbled to himself as he finished his task, straightening up with a heavy sigh. He turned to her, his visible eye even more bloodshot than before, "Where is your other skull?" he asked her.

"I think I might have left it in the place we were hiding." she told him.

"Go and retrieve it quickly. We must depart soon." he told her.

Luar'ka nodded and ran to the crumbling human dwelling, ducking through the broken doorway and flitting around quickly for her trophy. She retrieved it hanging off the back of the chair where she'd left and hurried back outside where Thwei'ja was still standing, typing something rapidly into his gauntlet. Luar'ka stood silently beside him, watching him carefully. He was alerting the brothers that his mission had reached its end and he required a pick-up.

"How long should it take?" she asked.

"Not long." he replied.

Thwei'ja watched discreetly as the Avian absently reached her hand up to brush against the scar on her forehead, still raw and angry and very sensitive to the touch. Predictably, she hissed softly as she touched it, but refrained from pulling away. She traced the freshly burned lines with the tips of her claws, seemingly in disbelief that the scar was real, that she'd truly been Blooded. Thwei'ja was fighting with himself over his decision to mark her. Part of him screamed that it was wholly against tradition. But his traditional upbringing and his logic reasoned that bravery and strength were to be praised and respected, regardless of species. The Endling had not only succeeded in killing a _kainde amedha_ , but she had held her own against it in the fight, distracting it from him while he fought the others of the brood. He knew she was unable to fight it head to head like the Yautja did, and he was, to his chagrin, impressed that she'd had enough presence of mind to use her own natural speed and agility to lure the creature to a location better suited to her talents. With speed and elevation in her favor against the powerful creature, she'd managed to slay the beast and win his respect.

She hissed again, making him grumble in irritation and smack her hand away from her head, "Enough of that," he snarled finally, "You must allow it to heal."

"Yes, Thwei'ja." she replied, ceasing her fidgeting. He supposed in a sense, he didn't blame her. He still remembered his own Blooding and how he'd struggled to hide his own excitement over the milestone. It had already been so long. Times like this, Thwei'ja truly felt his age weighing heavily on him. He had to admit, watching the Avian resist the urge to keep fondling her raw mark was rather amusing.

Luar'ka looked up at a familiar, ever-so-comforting sound emanating from the sky, her eyes wide. She watched wide-eyed as the cloak disintegrated before her eyes and the familiar ship soared down from the sky, circling once as it came to a graceful landing in the clearing. Thwei'ja watched it the whole way, his eyes narrowed. Luar'ka glanced up at him once and watched as the main entry opened and the ramp lowered. It was hard to contain her sudden rush of relief as she recognized Ikthya'de standing just inside the doorway, staring down at them. It occurred to her that she should be feeling fear now, knowing that she was going to face some kind of punishment for her desertion. It was likely that the others were furious, or worse, disappointed. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach when considering the latter. She almost would rather they be angry.

Thwei'ja gave her a push forward. Hefting the cords holding her trophies behind her, she straightened her back, walking steadily and surely toward the ramp. Her claws braced on the metal; she didn't slip at all as she ascended strongly. She kept her eyes forward, but averted from her brother's gaze as he watched her silently. Thwei'ja came up after her. The ship began to lift into the air just as they cleared the landing, the ramp lifting back into place to meld with the sides of the ship. Luar'ka stood in the center of the entryway, surrounded by the thick white mist she knew so well. She wheezed a few times as her lungs acclimated to the atmosphere she'd grown accustomed to.

She was aware of Ikthya'de and Thwei'ja standing behind her, unmoving and silent. She didn't know what made them hesitate, but she felt fairly certain that this situation was entirely unprecedented. It was completely likely that they hadn't a clue what to do from this point forward.

After a few minutes, Ikthya'de stepped forward and eyed her carefully, moving around to her line of sight. He reached out and examined the trophies she carried, clicking a couple of times at the human trophy, but trilling in surprise and admiration of the _kainde amedha_ trophy hanging beside it. He looked down at her then and his eyes grew wide. He reached out to brush her feathers from her face, taking note of the mark she now carried on her forehead. She kept her head straight and high as he did this, allowing him to see it fully. She'd earned this mark and she would be damned if she wasn't proud of it.

Thwei'ja chuffed sharply, making the younger Yautja back up quickly. Luar'ka felt the elder Yautja shove her forward, moving down the corridor. Luar'ka knew they were heading to the control room. She glanced up at Thwei'ja as she followed beside him, aware of Ikthya'de bringing up the rear. Thwei'ja's breathing was slightly shallow, his mandibles hanging more slack than usual. He was seriously exhausted, but dead-focused on finishing his mission. Luar'ka faced forward, walking as tall as she could as she moved toward her potential fate. No doubt Thwei'ja had already alerted the Leaders about this. It was likely her fate was already decided before she even knew about it. She steeled herself to be ready for anything.

They entered the control room and Luar'ka saw that Than'ja and Kar'kha were already at their stations. Than'ja spared her a small glance as they passed, but Kar'kha didn't even turn his head. He was already difficult for her to read and this didn't help, but she could take a fairly educated guess as to what he was thinking. She didn't blame him.

Thwei'ja sat down at his post and activated the transmitter. Luar'ka expected him to snarl at her to approach, but she was shocked when he glanced back at her and let out a deep rumble, indicating she stand near him. She did so without complaint as the message was answered. It was accepted by Sechinde. Luar'ka was tempted to look away from the screen as her shame became more apparent to her, but she fought this urge off and kept her eyes forward. Sechinde regarded her briefly, his eyes narrowing as he refocused his attention on Thwei'ja, " _You have located the Avian."_ he remarked.

"Yes. I discovered her not far from our landing point. She had made her way to the northern desert system."

" _What reason did she provide?_ "

Thwei'ja pulled his mask from his face and turned it over in his hands. Luar'ka peered over his right arm and got a look at the inner workings of the invaluable masks the Yautja employed; it was clear they were designed specifically for their species. Various controls and minute mechanisms lined the lower front and it appeared that these controls, when activated along with the mask, were operated by the wearer's mandibles to perform various functions regarding the suit and the armor. Luar'ka suspected the masks could be operated remotely through the gauntlets, in case mandibles were lost in battle, but it seemed that the controls were just easier. Thwei'ja reached up toward the visors of the mask and pressed a small, barely visible button. There was a delicate clicking noise and he removed a miniscule bronze colored sphere that had been fastened to the inner frame of the mask between the visors. Reaching over to the panel, he opened a small compartment in the metal frame, revealing a minute depression in the metal, roughly the same size as the sphere. He placed the sphere inside the depression and pressed a series of buttons on the panel. Luar'ka watched in fascination as a strikingly clear visual projection appeared on the screen. Sechinde's head twitched to the right around the same time and she suspected that a copy of the recording from Thwei'ja's mask had been sent to him remotely. She watched with baited breath as Sechinde studied the recordings, taking note of what Thwei'ja had seen on that plateau. Luar'ka forced herself to look as he carefully scanned the multitudes of corpses that littered the ground, as well as the bodies of the humans she'd slain. He'd even recorded her viciously slicing and hacking the first human's head from his body and screeching her cry of vengeance over his death.

The image continued on, progressing for a long while with short skips where Thwei'ja had deactivated his mask. It showed the start of his battle with the _kainde amedha_ , as well as caught glimpses of her own luring of and baiting the third beast, taunting it into taking off after her in the trees. The projection ended with a visual of the beast lying dead on the rocky slope and herself lying on her side near it, sitting up and turning around as Thwei'ja approached her. Thwei'ja focused one more time on the dead creature and then the recording cut off abruptly.

Sechinde had watched silently the whole way through, never once moving or reacting to anything he'd witnessed. When it ended, he turned away from the right side of the screen and focused forward, his gaze returning to Thwei'ja, " _This is quite intriguing,"_ he grumbled deeply, " _To think that so many Avians existed, yet. And now, no longer._ "

His gaze turned to Luar'ka, " _For this end, you committed this act?_ " he questioned.

"Yes, Elder Sechinde." she said firmly.

" _Your composure tells me much. You are very aware of your situation, Avian. You are well aware of our traditions and our ancient codes by which we abide, are you not_?"

"I am, yes."

" _And you still deserted._ " this was a statement, not a question.

"...Yes." she answered after a brief hesitation.

" _Answer me why_." he commanded, his tone dark and uncompromising. Luar'ka composed herself swiftly; this was it. "We have confirmed, Elder Sechinde. I am the last of my kind. This is now irrefutably true. My motives were selfish; I desired to know that I truly was the last. And now I do."

She felt pride at keeping her voice steady to cover the horrible feeling of her heart aching in pain at her miserable status.

" _And now, you do._ " Sechinde repeated, his words slow and his tone dangerously low, " _Your reasons for leaving are founded, however they have caused you to shatter a rule that has formed many a disgraced Bad Blood. Such dishonorable Yautja are permitted to be slain on sight. Do you know why Thwei'ja pursued you?_ "

"I do." she replied, "He informed me that had I successfully revealed myself, my life would have been forfeit. While I would have understood and accepted my fate, it is my own misfortune that I was not aware of how truly secretive our lifestyle is. For this, I am deeply ashamed of my transgression." she told him, bowing as low as she could. She knew that right now, whatever shreds of honor she still maintained depended on how deep her humility ran. The _Paya_ knew that it was likely her very life depended on this humility.

" _You choose to return to our ways, Avian?_ " Sechinde questioned, his tone uncomfortably dark.

"If I am permitted to do so, yes. I do."

" _You have been marked._ " he stated abruptly. Luar'ka didn't say anything, knowing this wasn't her place to speak. Thwei'ja looked up, "During the battle, she successfully lured away a _kainde amedha_ and beheaded it. She has procured her trophy from its corpse." he explained.

" _And this was your decision, Thwei'ja_?" Sechinde asked, sounding surprised.

"She fought strongly and aided my fight." he answered simply, knowing the projection would speak volumes of her battle.

Sechinde clicked his tusks thoughtfully, a raspy grumble escaping his throat as he focused again on Luar'ka, " _You have been Blooded into our fold, Avian. Are you aware of what this means for you?_ "

"Not entirely, no." she admitted softly.

" _It means you are accepted by our Clan. Bearing our mark, you willingly go forth in pursuit of honor for the sake of the Clan and for the sake of yourself. All victories you attain will bring honor to yourself and to the Clan to which you swear loyalty. This honor is to be upheld at all costs._ "

"I know. And I am ready."

" _This transgression of yours is grave, Avian. You choose to embrace our ways. Now, you will face appropriate consequence for straying from the path set down before you, upon which all honorable Yautja tread._ "

"I understand and accept, Elder Sechinde."

" _Avian, you have committed an act of desertion of your pack and violated one of our sacred codes of honor. However, you stand before me brave and proud regardless. For taking responsibility for your actions, you will be spared a more dire punishment._ "

He glanced down and typed something into the computer. Almost instantly, a line of text appeared on the screen, glowing bright orange in the low light. Luar'ka caught a glimpse of them before she looked back at Sechinde, " _I have sent Thwei'ja a set of coordinates to one of our claimed Hunting territories. Avian, as punishment for your crime, you will spend twenty rotations on this world. Should you survive your time there, you will be pardoned of your transgressions. You must emerge victorious with five trophies from that world._ "

"...Yes, Elder Sechinde." Luar'ka said, admittedly daunted by this task.

" _Should you survive, you are to contact the Clan ship immediately with your progress. You will be given a tracer with which to retrieve your remains upon your death, should you perish._ "

Luar'ka forced herself to nod, her knees feeling weak in fear that she refused to show. But she knew that Thwei'ja could both hear and smell her blood racing at this proximity.

"I will take care of it, Elder Sechinde." Thwei'ja said. The Elder Yautja nodded in affirmation and abruptly signed off. The room went quiet. Luar'ka was frozen in place, incapable of movement. She swallowed thickly, clenching her fists at her sides.

Thwei'ja copied the coordinates and entered them into the computer, setting their intended destination. The engines roared to life, propelling the scouting ship up further into the sky, powering through the atmosphere of the planet and out into the inky black reaches of space beyond. As inwardly thrilled as she was to be back on board the ship and bound for the emptiness of space that she called home, Luar'ka felt petrified. She was to be marooned on a distant planet for twenty rotations to survive _and_ bring back five trophies. The suffocating black of terror was slowly being replaced by the calm gray of acceptance and she felt her mind starting to rush again.

"Thwei'ja, how long will it take to reach this world?" she asked quietly.

He glanced down at her, clicking his tusks ponderously at her tone, "Reaching _N-yuicte_ will take three rotations with no problems."

"Am I allowed to learn at all about the world I am to visit?" she said, looking toward him.

"To do so would be wise. This particular world is very similar in climate to _N'-ithya_. However, the creatures are quite different. You may access the archives."

"Then I will begin." she said, turning and heading out of the room without so much as a glance at her brothers.

The control room fell quiet. Thwei'ja glanced around at his unusually silent packmates. The tension was incredibly thick. He looked toward Ikthya'de, standing eerily silent. This Yautja normally looked for any excuse to insert a little snark into a situation. For what reason, Thwei'ja didn't know. Ikthya'de hadn't said a word this entire time. He nodded to him once, signaling that he was to take control for a while. He moved past Ikthya'de, not saying a word as he went. He knew they were staring at him as he left and it made his spines go erect in irritation. But he held himself back. He was exhausted from the journey. He wished for as little conflict now as possible. He returned to his chambers, stepping inside the darkened room. He saw just fine; there was no need for any lights like elsewhere on the ship. Once the door was shut behind him, he set it to locked mode. Only once he was certain there would be no disturbances did he sag against the wall, his knees buckling beneath him as he collapsed on the floor. Breathing heavily, he lay there a while, feeling every single ache and injury he'd received over the past few rotations. Only within the confines of his chambers would he allow himself this time to feel his own weakness, to let his facade as Leader drop and reveal the true exhaustion and pain he felt so deeply. His breath was labored, no doubt a lingering effect from that gash to his back. He was almost too tired to even close his mandibles all the way.

He growled weakly, heaving himself up to his feet and removing his armor and coverings, setting everything in a small, neat pile for easy access. Shuffling over to his pallet, collapsing onto it, struggling to relax. He tossed his head, flipping a few of his tendrils up over his shoulder, away from his face. He needed to rest, now. Recovering his energy was vital. He knew this better than anyone. Once he was recovered more fully, he would eat something to regain his strength. He only had a little while to sleep. He had to take advantage of whatever time he had. Closing his eyes, he sighed deeply and forced himself to relax, allowing himself to fall into a deep, recovering sleep.

/ooo/

Luar'ka knew she should be studying more about this planet apparently dubbed _N-yuicte_ by the Yautja. As the archives stated, it was indeed very similar to _N'-ithya_. The planet's fauna was mostly dominated by large herbivores. Studying the database, she learned that those enormous, gray-skinned plant-eaters she'd seen being dragged aboard the Clan ship by the Hunting packs originated from this world. The archives had detailed descriptions of large, bipedal creatures with long, bony tails and spines running down the lengths of their backs. Their faces were enormous with long, peg-shaped teeth in the backs of their mouths and sharp, serrated teeth at the front. The claws on their forearms clearly suggested predatory behavior. They were described as averaging close to eight feet high. Aside from them, detailed accounts of enormous aerial reptiles made this world seem extremely daunting to the novice Avian Huntress as she studied the list with growing trepidation. So engrossed did Luar'ka become in her reading that she never heard the door open and shut and someone move inside and sit down beside her. Luar'ka finally noticed when he chuffed softly, making her jump with a shriek as she flipped over a couple of feet away, crouched with her feathers fluffed out in all directions. Ikthya'de watched this display with mild amusement as he stared down at her from his cross-legged position near where she'd been sitting. Luar'ka calmed, smoothing her feathers down as she folded her knees into a sitting position, "How long have you been there?" she asked him.

"A short while," he replied, "I had to hoped to speak with you briefly. It has been quite a while, now."

"Only three rotations, Ikthya'de." she grumbled, moving back over to her screen and shutting it off.

"We are on a swift passage to our Hunting world." Ikthya'de informed her, "It should not be long, now."

"Good." she said.

"Sechinde issued quite a lenient exile on you." Ikthya'de remarked, "He seemed truly impressed by your courage."

"I deserted. I did not expect to be found so suddenly, but it is only right that I am to be punished. To think any less would be arrogant and naïve."

He inclined his head, his mandibles ticking upward, "Many are the disgraced Bad Blood who would see otherwise."

"I am no Bad Blood." she snarled softly, "And I will return from my exile alive, and far stronger."

"I look forward to your return." he said to her, "I have sent my own thoughts toward the _Paya_ that they continue to look after you, as they have done up until this point."

"All we can do is wait and see. What do you believe my chances are?" she asked, turning toward him. He could see how cold her body appeared to be now. He knew she was very nervous about her impending exile. As soon as they touched down, she would be given a tracer, a basic weapon, and then abandoned on the surface of the planet until the time came to retrieve her. But nervous though she was, she was facing her fear with as much determination and bravery as any Yautja warrior. Ikthya'de felt his chest swell with pride at her as he answered her honestly, "I believe your chances are favorable, for more than one reason. Elder Sechinde appears to favor you highly, Luar'ka. The world he has chosen for your exile is quite tame in comparison to some of our others. It almost seems to me that he desires to see you succeed one way or another. Perhaps he wishes to see what you will become if given time to grow."

Her tail swayed gently behind her as she perched on her haunches before the blank screen. She sighed, "Even so, with no other Avians left alive now, my existence almost seems pointless."

"Elaborate."

"You saw the recordings Thwei'ja captured. That was all that remained of my birth Clan. I am now officially the last of the Avians."

She lowered down, folding her knees beneath her and curling her tail around herself. She tucked her wings around her body, "I will be lucky to learn to fly, I will never know their heritage, I will probably never breed. It is a lot to consider."

"You know nothing for certain."

"You and Than'ja and Kar'kha are the only Yautja who actively converse with me. Tell me, how did it come to pass that your kind exists in such relative stability on the Clan ship?"

"Why do you ask this?" he asked, cocking his head.

"I was born into strife within the Clan. We were on the verge of extinction. I knew nothing but tension. Your people are far from harmonious, but you seem to maintain a strange sort of...almost peace, I dare say. There is aggression, but with what I have personally witnessed, there is no true hatred or anger. Only pride, competition, and camaraderie."

Ikthya'de's eyes narrowed, his mandibles working slowly as he considered his answer. He looked away, staring off into space, "This was a learned behavior, Luar'ka," he explained, "It is difficult to believe that survival in such close quarters could be possible without developing a tolerance for the closeness. We rarely return to our homeworld, and as such we are always together on the Clan ship. It is something we have learned to adapt to out of necessity. Even with this, there is aggression, there is hostility, and with the constant closeness, personal territories are precious to us as individuals. However I do not believe we would prefer it any other way. When all has been completed, we are a Clan, drawing upon both strength and comfort from one another. Traditions develop and fall out of practice, Yautja are born, and Yautja die, every season without fail. We adapt to the changes and become better for them. But we are always a Clan and we stand honorably together, or else we fall honorably together."

Luar'ka stared at him silently, her eyes wide. Never before had she heard Ikthya'de speak so softly and seriously. It was strange, certainly. She was fully aware of how intelligent he was, but this wiser side of him was rarely seen and it seemed to her, in recent times, that she was the only one whom he allowed to view it. She'd always known this about the Yautja; beneath their aggressive behavior and ferocious outlooks, they were all still brothers fighting for the same goals. There were plenty of disagreements, certainly, and there was no shortage of short tempers and enraged brawls over petty insults and injuries. The Yautja were far from complete cohesiveness and certainly not an internally peaceful race by any stretch. But to say they were barbaric amongst themselves was an overstatement. In reality, they led surprisingly simple lives in pursuit of the same things on the grand scale. They essentially lived without fear and without any boundaries holding them back. They were completely free and took advantage of it, traversing the galaxy and Hunting where they saw fit. But they weren't mindless killers, thoughtless savages, at least not normally. If they had been, there was no way she'd have been allowed to progress as far as she had. Luar'ka was honestly able to say that despite appearances, she felt completely at ease with them and their erratic lifestyle. She understood the quirks of her birth kind well enough to know what was happening and she knew she had no power with which to fight it.

She was imprinting on them. She knew it wouldn't be long before she assimilated entirely, so long as they permitted it.

/ooo/

She had feathers instead of tendrils. Her scales weren't as pronounced. Her body was lighter than even the scrawniest of Unbloods. She had wings. Luar'ka could see every physical difference that separated her from her brothers as they stood in the main entryway of Thwei'ja's ship. The engines roared as they slowed its progression through the atmosphere of the new planet. Luar'ka did her best to calm her racing heart as she watched Ikthya'de make the finishing touches on a bracer he'd spent the last couple of rotations modifying to fit her tiny wrist. He held it against his right hand while his left manipulated a miniscule tool, adjusting the inner workings of the bracer. It made one short, metallic beep and he closed the back, sealing it shut again. He turned it over and knelt down, reaching for her right arm. He fastened the bracer to her arm, adjusting its width so it hugged her flesh firmly. He threaded her fingers through thin, barely visible cords attached to a small press that flattened itself against her palm. She pulled her arm back, the bracer surprisingly heavy as she examined it. It was a bit on the large side for her, but she knew that if she were allowed to keep it, she would eventually grow into it. Just as she'd watched them do, she clenched her fist, putting pressure against the press and allowing the serrated blades to shoot out of the body of the gauntlet. She clenched again and released tension, and the blades retracted swiftly.

Ikthya'de stood up and stepped back away from her, standing off in the shadows with Than'ja and Kar'kha. Thwei'ja had set the ship to autopilot and now stood at the doorway, his arms held at his sides rigidly as he stared at her.

"You who are to be exiled, prepare your mind and your body." he rumbled deeply.

Luar'ka closed her eyes, steeling herself as best she could. She'd been given nothing to help her, save for the bracer. She also had the knife Kar'kha had given her on _Illmianyar_. These would be her only tools of defense and of Hunting. She'd armed herself with knowledge of the flora and fauna of the planet, as much as she could with the time allowed. She zeroed her mind in on her coming task, knowing that her very life hung in the balance.

The ship came to a gliding stop on the planet's surface, the landing so smooth she hardly felt it. Thwei'ja activated the doors, lowering the ramp. He proceeded out first, followed by Luar'ka and the brothers behind her. Luar'ka descended the ramp and set her foot down on mossy, damp rock. She glanced up, her eyes wide as she faced the thick natural mist hanging low over what appeared to be a dense, vibrant rainforest. Strange, unknown calls echoed through the air and the air felt heavy and damp. The whole place smelled of wet dirt. She couldn't see far through the thick fog.

She turned slowly as her brothers began to file back into the ship. They didn't spare her a glance, and she didn't expect them to. Thwei'ja lingered, watching her stonily. Luar'ka looked over at him, standing as tall as she could. She unfurled her wings and bowed her head toward him. Thwei'ja stared her down, his thoughts unreadable. He dipped his head slightly, slowly. Luar'ka returned the gesture and watched as he whirled and stalked back into the ship. She could feel her heart thudding in her throat as she watched the doors shut behind him. The ship raised up into the air, turning and firing the engines to push high into the sky, away from the surface of the planet. She watched it the whole way until it vanished in the clouds. Then, she turned, facing the cliffs before her as she spread her wings. She let out a low snarl, charged forward and dove off the side of the cliff, unfurling her wings and vanishing into the gloom of the mist.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. Hopefully, a twenty page chapter makes up for it slightly. Werewolfbleu is at it again with our collaboration story, _A Madness of Predators_ , a collection of short little drabbles featuring our characters pulling a CLAMP and getting cameos in each others' worlds. Go check it out! It's got a great start!


	28. Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Nine

Ki'vei-ta hissed viciously as she lashed her arm up to block her opponent's strike, her mandibles flaring as she pulled her arm back and threw a hard punch to the side of the other Yautja's head. Her foe staggered back, bending her knees slightly as she crossed her arms to block another slashing strike from the Matriarch, who took advantage of her opponent's guard and shifted her center of gravity, kicking into her knees and knocking her off balance, sending her tumbling down to the floor. She fell hard, dazed as the Matriarch loomed over her, her armor gleaming in the low light of the _kehrite_. Issuing a deep growl, Ki'vei-ta stepped away from her fallen sparring partner and turned, stalking away from the battle arena where she'd been blowing off some steam. She tossed her mane of jeweled tendrils, tucking her mandibles close. At her approach, a small group of younger males scattered and slunk out of her path, giving her a wide berth. She hissed warningly at them as she passed, hammering the message in. She recognized a few of the males here; four or five of them were some of her own offspring. However, she had little time for them nowadays. It was very rare that she socialized with any of her male progeny. A few held the exalted exception in the rule as highly skilled and powerful Yautja who brought much honor to the Clan, but once a male pup reached a certain age, he was expelled from the nursing ward and forbidden reentry.

The enormous training hall was always filled with sparring Yautja, but all had immediately paused in their activities the second Ki'vei-ta and her guards entered. The Matriarch trained only with her female guards. If a male were truly foolish enough to challenge her, she would happily put him in his place. It had happened before and she had no doubt it would happen again.

She approached the door and a young, freshly Blooded male raised his gaze, leering up at her briefly before dropping his gaze again. But this was enough; Ki'vei-ta's mandibles spread wide and she let out a vicious, high-pitched snarl as she lashed out quicker than he could react, grabbing his neck and smashing him against the wall. She hurled him bodily to the ground and he hit with a sickening thud, laying still but for his labored breathing. It had happened so quickly, he hadn't had any time to react. The Matriarch glared furiously at his motionless form and quickly calmed herself. To allow her anger to go any further was unwise and she watched as this brazen and freshly humbled young male picked himself up off the floor, struggling to his feet and staggering away from her. The message was loud and very clear. She stood tall, her hands clenched at her sides as she tucked her mandibles in tightly against her mouth. She whirled and stalked out, followed by her guards. They rarely got involved unless she requested this of them; she felt better in her situation by handling her problems herself. In her mind, this presented a much stronger, more capable leader in the Clan.

However, now, Ki'vei-ta turned and ordered her guards to disperse. She was going to head into the central guidance chamber and too many bodies distorted the hologram. The other females backed up away from her, bowing respectfully as they moved away, further down the corridor. They were returning to the upper decks where the females typically resided. Around this time of season, many of the females still had sucklings to care for. Ki'vei-ta would normally have been caring for a suckling as well, but she had failed in conceiving this season. It wasn't the first time it had happened; female Yautja didn't conceive easily and it took at least a couple of matings to increase the odds in their favor. She'd already birthed a hundred and twenty-four sucklings in her five hundred years of breeding age. That wasn't a bad number for any female and she had nothing to be ashamed of. Even still, in the seasons where a mating failed, it still felt strange to have no such responsibility to care for.

She proceeded down an exceptionally darkened corridor, following the steps she knew by heart as she ascended a flight of stairs, moving into a vast, circular room. The door shut behind her and she proceeded to the center, placing her hand on the upright circular register and activating the shimmering blue hologram that swirled through the air around her, forming a perfect, miniature replica of the galaxy. She watched it spinning slowly a moment before touching it delicately, zooming in exponentially until she reached their spacial location. The hologram expanded outward and surrounded her completely, allowing her to view their location and all the heavenly bodies near it with near perfect accuracy. She wandered past the tiny image of the Clan ship floating in the nothingness and took note of the nearest Hunting planets. She was able to read this information and estimate roughly ten more days before they'd be within range to replenish the food supply. As she walked, the image moved with her, adjusting so that she became the center of the hologram. After only a few steps, she was nearing their home world's location. They were closer to it now than they'd been in a long time. She often considered whether or not it was appropriate to return just yet. The planet was in a state of higher-than-normal volcanic activity, now too dangerous for even the Yautja to inhabit for a while. There were currently only a few dozen individuals living in a settlement on the surface of the planet as they monitored the activity of the planet's core. Once the planet calmed down and it was safe enough to land, Ki'vei-ta planned to return for a period. No word yet, however, and she was forced to wait a while longer.

She heard the sound of the door opening and her eyes narrowed as she turned, her spines raising and her tendrils swishing over her shoulders. She settled when she recognized the Yautja standing there.

"You are fully aware that I dislike this odd tendency of yours, Sechinde." she growled.

" I do not consciously do this to aggravate you." he said with a bow, keeping his head lowered, "I had a premonition you would be here."

"Am I becoming predictable in my advanced age?" she asked, turning around and facing the projection of the home world again.

"Not at all. I simply know what to look for." Sechinde answered, approaching her warily and giving her a respectful distance as he paused several feet away, watching the hologram with interest. Ki'vei-ta eyed him suspiciously, but settled when she saw him keeping his distance. Of all the Yautja on this ship, males especially, Ki'vei-ta minded his company the least. Sechinde maintained a very healthy, expansive respect for her and never once allowed it to waver. Regardless of what was happening, he always kept his place.

They studied the hologram together, occasionally wandering to different angles to move it to different places on the map. Ki'vei-ta already knew he'd come for the same reason she had. They both were concerned about the impending and mysterious outbreaks, certainly. However, their actual reasons for retreating to this restricted place few were allowed to tread were quite different.

"It is rare we seek the solitude of this place simultaneously." she pointed out, "I shall hazard a guess that you came for the same purpose I did?"

Sechinde rumbled deeply, tossing his nearly gray tendrils with a huff, "It is believable." he agreed, "But I do not lack for sufficient company."

"And of course there shall be idle talk the likes of which I despise?" she growled, eying him from her side of the room as she watched a small dead planet on the map spin past her and out of sight through the wall.

"I shall speak nothing of the Avian if you forbid it." he told her, following the course of a massive comet whose trajectory he could see would comfortably miss their massive ship.

"Your fascination for her is intriguing." she said, "We are alone, Sechinde. Tell me honestly; why do you fight so hard to protect that suckling?"

"The Matriarch of the _Sev'kai_ requesting candidness? This is truly a momentous event, Ki'vei-ta." he said with an amused upward twitch of his mandibles. She drew near him and growled softly, fully conveying her annoyance with his obtuse sense of humor, " _Now_ , Sechinde."

"Mind your elders, Ki'vei-ta." he said, unable to resist one final quip, knowing full well he could get away with it. His eyes narrowed, "I have told you before; the Avian race was host to one of the most thrilling Hunts I had partaken in my lifetime. The memories are as vivid as the day they occurred."

"You fight to protect the Avian, or so it appears. Why is she so special to you?"

"She is a remnant of bygone times, Ki'vei-ta. However, I do not protect her. Her fate is decided by the _Paya,_ not by me. I have simply set down a path for her, fraught with as many obstacles as any of our own young face. Whether or not she chooses to walk upon it is her own choice."

Ki'vei-ta fixed him with a stern glare, "And your involvement means nothing, then? I do not believe you, Sechinde."

"I have done what I wish and no more. Had I desired to protect her, I would not have meted out her exile like I did."

"I received the message from Thwei'ja," Ki'vei-ta said in reference to her oldest offspring, "His choice to pursue her was valid. He was able to locate her and return with her before she compromised us. What was your judgment?"

Sechinde looked over at her, "Twenty rotations on _N-yuicte_. Just challenging enough for a creature of her stature."

"While it seems befitting, it also seems to me that you still defend her."

"I do not defend the Avian. I defend the memories of the Hunt and the potential to partake in such a Hunt once more. She is the key toward achieving that end once again. The possibility is what I defend."

Ki'vei-ta eyed him softly, taking note of how, again, his tone changed whenever the subject was brought up. Something about his Hunt with the Avians always drew him into his thoughts, and she often suspected there was more to his tales of that Hunt than he cared to let on. She wasn't sure what it was and doubted she'd ever know. She knew better than to ask him too much further, but she had to admit, the way he spoke of them piqued her interest. She hadn't Hunted in many, many seasons. As a Youngblood, she had Hunted vigorously on several worlds with other females. When she'd completed her c _hiva_ and been cleared to breed, she'd laid down her Hunting armor and weapons as all females do so that she might have time to bear the offspring that were vital to the Clan. She had trophies of her own and she treasured them, as they were all she would ever possess, or need to possess. She let out a deep, huffing sigh, "Permit me to confide in you, Sechinde." she said, "At such an advanced age, even I still feel the indescribable pull of the Hunt. There are times I wish to follow it."

Sechinde turned to her, silent for a moment as he watched her. She faced off to the side, not looking at him with her arms folded around her middle, a position she often took when deep in thought. She shook her head, "Many of my guards will occasionally join Hunting groups. I could never leave on a Hunt. My duties within the Clan never end. I am always needed here to guide the females and keep order within the males."

"I believe Va-sh'ri chose well." Sechinde said quietly in mention of the former Matriarch and Ki'vei-ta's bearer.

"I do as well. I am blessed by the _Paya_ with the strength needed to lead such a large Clan to honor."

Sechinde hesitated and approached her carefully, pausing a few steps short of her. He reminded himself again, as he did at the back of his mind every time he was near her, to be respectful of her. He may have had a vast age difference on her, but she had a good four inches of height over him, to say nothing of her immense strength she kept well hidden beneath her lean physique. Ki'vei-ta initially flared her tusks at his approach, but her hiss died in her throat and she tucked her mandibles back in, reminding herself that he meant no disrespect or potential harm to her. As the oldest Yautja aboard the ship, she held a great deal of respect for him, but not only because of his age or his skill. She had known him an incredibly long time and they had been through much together.

"Do you happen to recall our first encounter?" she asked bemusedly.

"As clearly as the day it happened," he answered, "One Hunting pack encountering the unexpected meeting of a pack of freshly Blooded female Yautja. A trespass on claimed territory. I recall my anger and the blade of your weapon clearly." he said with a deep, clicking chuckle.

"As do I. I stepped forward to challenge your threat to my pack. I did not immediately recognize you as _Sev'kai_. We were ready to fight to the death."

Sechinde rumbled softly in his chest, "Your fire was impressive, even then, Ki'vei-ta."

Truly, they had indeed been through much. It hadn't been long after their first meeting when Ki'vei-ta had been cleared by the council to mate that season. She'd watched several males take notice of, and battle one another for her. A female strong enough to pass her _chiva_ so quickly was surely a prize worth battling for to produce truly strong and honorable offspring, and she of course, would only select the best. However, she'd been surprised to see Sechinde appear before her, his presence alone enough to deter most of the younger males vying for her attention. His aura was so intimidating that in the process of their courting, he'd only had to fight off two other males foolish enough to challenge him. At first, Ki'vei-ta had been wary of him, recalling their near miss at a vicious altercation not long before. However, in fighting a more exuberant male who refused to back down from his claim, he had readily proved to her that he was in excellent condition as a fighter and maintained his claim over her until there were no more challenges. Throughout the course of their mating, she had fought hard against him, as she was expected and had been instructed to do. Unable to succeed in driving him away, the coupling had been successful and she'd greeted Thwei'ja as her firstborn the following season. They didn't interact much outside of the breeding season until the time came for the previous Matriarch to pass on her role. As Va-sh'ri's health deteriorated rapidly, she called upon Ki'vei-ta to step forward. The mantle of leadership was usually passed on through the successor ending the life of the previous leader. Ki'vei-ta, at just over five hundred years of age, had taken the life of her Bearer and inherited the position of Matriarch from her. This was very different from how it was usually done. Normally, the strongest chosen females battled one another for the role, to weed out the weakest of them who would become the new guards. Ki'vei-ta had been chosen above all of that, creating deep controversy and concern.

"It was not until I became Matriarch that I came to understand the true honor you lived by, Sechinde." Ki'vei-ta admitted to him, "Va-sh'ri made a very rash and risky decision by breaking tradition the way she did."

Sechinde nodded, "You are correct. The peace was quite fragile, then."

Ki'vei-ta stepped toward him, now standing nearly side by side with him as she faced the opposite direction, "I would have taken control and calmed the anxieties of the Clan with the shift in leadership," she said quietly, "However, were it not for your involvement, the process would have taken much longer, indeed."

Sechinde glanced sidelong at her, recalling the incident well. Many of the Clan were nervous about such a sudden turn of events. Some were unwilling to follow such a blatant break of long-held traditions like that. As Ki'vei-ta had stepped forward to claim her place, many Yautja had rather loudly vocalized their disagreement in the matter, and one female had even stepped forward to challenge Ki'vei-ta's place as Matriarch. Sechinde had watched as the challenger had been met, battled ferociously and then defeated before the spectating Yautja, but this seemed to only increase the tension. He had made his choice then. Having greatly respected Va-sh'ri and now seeing her progeny take her place, Sechinde had known even then what became of such unrest if left unchecked.

"You should have stood by and allowed me to deal with the challenging females," Ki'vei-ta scolded softly, though there was no real backing behind her words, "You should not have done that. You should have simply observed as you have always done. Instead, you saw the unrest growing more unstable and I recall it so clearly as you moved out of alignment with the males and roared loudly enough to silence the entire hall instantaneously. I must admit, I was quite surprised, Sechinde."

 _" What petty shame is this upon you, that you challenge the new Matriarch of the Clan!? The_ Paya _guide us without fail and this time, they have guided us in a new direction! A new Leader has been chosen. You defy the Matriarch, you defy the_ Paya. _I choose to stand with her. Continue to resist the decision of the fallen Matriarch and you all shall battle me! Stand before me, all dissidents of the Clan!_ " 

Ki'vei-ta, still standing nearly shoulder to shoulder with him, chuckled mirthfully as she shook her head slowly, causing him to glance at her curiously, "And do you know? None of them did. Not one Yautja took your challenge. I expected at least one to try."

"You had been selected." Sechinde said simply, "I will follow you loyally, as I have always done."

"Even if I were to lead our Clan to certain death?" she mumbled.

"You are a worthy Matriarch, Ki'vei-ta. I trust the _Paya_ to guide your decisions and bring us honor. Just as it has always been."

She glanced over at him, "I need neither assistance, nor advice from you, Sechinde. I request both to uphold the deep respect I hold for you."

Sechinde nodded, clicking his tusks softly, "I am requested and so shall follow through to the best of my ability." he answered.

Ki'vei-ta turned fully so she faced him and he nearly followed the gesture, maintaining a slight angle away from her so as not to make direct eye contact. She leaned forward just a bit and nudged the side of his face with hers, the soft rumble in her chest forming into a purr. A similar sound from him echoed hers as he returned the gesture, nuzzling his mandibles against the side of her face in an affectionate manner. This was not the first time they had engaged in this kind of intimacy, but with how uncommon such displays typically were, it was just less trouble to indulge in them in private, away from others uninvolved in their situation. It was still several months until breeding season began; that wasn't the point of this. They knew their scents would linger; there was no hiding their proximity once they left this room. Sechinde had seen it happen only once before in his entire life, the formation of a bond of sorts between a male and female Yautja. Like them, it had been a pair of much more experienced Elders who spent an unusual amount of time in the company of the other. He had found it strange of course, and never once questioned their decision. And of course, he'd never even imagined it would ever happen to him. Yautja, as a quirk of their evolution to maintain genetic variety, did not take permanent mates like so many other species did. It just wasn't something they practiced. But this didn't bar bonds from occasionally forming. He knew little of it, or the circumstances that enabled it to happen, only that when it _did_ occur, it seemed to happen exclusively to Elders. Neither of them had really even noticed when it truly began, just that the time they spent together seemed to grow longer each time.

It wasn't a serious issue, really. They'd partaken in hundreds of successful collective breeding seasons and claimed hundreds more Yautja as their descendents. Their bloodlines were as safe as they could get. Sechinde had given up trying to make sense of it and over time, had simply come to appreciate these quiet moments with her while they had them. At this point, he couldn't even remember which of them had initiated the first experimental approach. Usually, for a male Yautja to be this close to a female was at best daft, and at worst, deadly. However, the sound of her contented purr calmed whatever natural caution he might have maintained.

Ki'vei-ta had given up hiding how she favored Sechinde during breeding seasons, initially dismissing it as simply choosing the strongest and most honorable sire for her young. However, she had eventually come to notice how she became less aggressive in his company as time went on, to the point where he became a figure in her council to whose thoughts she would listen above others. The majority of her offspring had been sired by Sechinde, and though she wasn't the only female he approached during breeding seasons, she was always the first he sought. She knew that their situation was highly unusual, but she wasn't complaining about it. Hostility flowed through her veins toward any and all males who discredited her honor or her standing as Matriarch of the Clan. But Sechinde had accepted her from the very start and remained her most loyal warrior. He was far, far older than she was, and she knew that she would live to oversee his honorable burial ceremony. There was no avoiding the fact that one day, the _Paya_ would call him to them, forcing him to leave her behind until the call came for her. Hopefully, the both of them would be found worthy enough to Hunt together in the lands of the high ones. So until then, while they were entirely alone, she swore to give in and enjoy his presence while she had it, and while there were no others around to question their actions. Surrounded by others of the Clan, they were warriors of the same alignment. Alone, well...she wasn't sure what to call it, but it didn't feel entirely wrong. His scent was so familiar, so comforting, so strange, but something she didn't really care to fight. She felt the ends of his tusks graze against the vulnerable flesh of her throat and her breath hitched on reflex. But she didn't move otherwise, trusting him implicitly.

They pulled away, still purring and Ki'vei-ta rested her forehead against his, her eyes closed contentedly. Nothing needed to be said. Neither of them felt the urge to speak. Just quietly enjoying the others' company. These moments were few and far between and they couldn't last. Ki'vei-ta knew that all she could do was savor them while she had them before she would inevitably have to return. She was aware that the others were suspicious of something, though she was confident they didn't know what. The lower ranked Yautja knew better than to question their Matriarch, so long as she led them in a positive direction. What she did in her down time was her own business. But of course, she would leave the holographic chamber carrying heavy reminders of Sechinde's scent, and he hers, as they always did. Perhaps this was one reason that rare bonds always seemed to form between Elder Yautja, since they weren't likely to be questioned.

Sechinde watched her silently as she stepped back, staring off to the side almost solemnly. She had a faraway look in her eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

"Are you well?" he asked her quietly.

"I am. Do you sometimes feel that this should not happen?"

"Of course. But this is because it usually does not happen. It is a rather uncommon situation. Thus, should you order me to do so, I shall never approach you again." he told her, completely steadfast in his declaration. Ki'vei-ta was undoubtedly strong, certainly stronger than he was, as well as faster and younger besides. If he crossed boundaries with her in any way, she'd be justified to see fit in slashing his throat without a second thought if she felt so inclined. The balance they maintained was critical, and so was his respect and healthy awareness of her.

"I approached, Sechinde. You did not. And I could not give such an order. I do not hold much faith in my own decision in that regard. I do not know what to call it, and while I feel that in some respects it is wrong, I do not object to it."

"Nor do I."

Ki'vei-ta nodded in agreement and moved to shut off the holographic image, "How much time has elapsed for the Avian's exile?"

Sechinde rumbled deeply in thought, "Thwei'ja deposited her on _N-yuicte_ roughly six rotations before now." he said, curious to her sudden mention of the Avian, arguably her least favorite topic. Ki'vei-ta clicked her tusks thoughtfully, "And her vitals?"

"Still functional. The bracer has not recorded a lapse in her activity."

"She lives on, then. _N-yuicte_ is not a simple Hunting world to traverse."

"Would it be prudent to send a scout to observe her progress?"

"No, that will not be necessary. Her exile is still in effect. She has some time left to go and we shall see if she can survive her ordeal."

She fell silent for a moment, and Sechinde watched her carefully. She was compartmentalizing. It was understandable. He didn't fully understand the situation either. But his standing wasn't as vital as hers and they both knew it. If she were questioned too much, there could be severe unrest within the Clan. Everything that happened would have to be treated with care.

"I shall take my leave, Ki'vei-ta." he told her.

"The Avian perturbs me, Sechinde," she bit out, her mood suddenly souring. Sechinde could detect the change instantly in her through her scent and his spines rose in sudden caution. Ki'vei-ta turned slowly, her eyes dark, "Refrain from mentioning her around me."

He nodded in assent and stepped back slowly, instinctively knowing that to be near her now was extremely dangerous. For any reason, her mood was darkening and he knew he had to leave. Sechinde turned away, leaving quietly, lest he incur her wrath.

Ki'vei-ta watched him leave, left alone in the chamber in the darkness. She stayed there a while, thinking deeply and contemplating. In a short while, she would be forced to return to her duties, as well as talks about the Avian that she despised so much. But for now, the silence was deafening, the sound of the powerful engines even swallowed up in the thickness of it.

She relished it.

/ooo/

Warkha felt that it had been entirely too long since he'd returned to the Clan ship. In all actuality, he should have returned to the _Ki'vai_ , but he chose to dock at the Clan ship of the _Sev'kai_ instead. He spent more time with them and was more familiar with their ship. As he stepped into the loading bay, he was aware of others preparing their ships staring at him. He issued them a sharp warning growl that immediately won him aversion. Torquing his mandibles furiously, he stamped forward, heading further into the ship. He'd been stared at, attacked, and shunned his whole life and still relished the day he'd finally become strong enough to retaliate against the disrespectful gazes. But now, he was too preoccupied to bother with petty fights such as that.

His meeting with the Illmorein had taken _far_ too long. On top of that, in the middle of his journey back, he'd been ordered by the council to divert to a neighboring Hunting world where four deserted Bad Bloods had taken up residence. They had spread out within their chosen territory and it had taken Warkha five whole rotations to track down and kill each one. With each kill, he became more and more incensed. By the time he reached the final disgraced Yautja, he'd all but entirely ripped his head from his body with his bare hands. Through all of this, he felt his blood boiling with barely controlled rage and aggression, and the unyielding itch for a fight. But not just any fight.

He'd been denied his desire to engage the Avian in battle for too long. He wanted to challenge her and fight against her as he would any worthy opponent. She'd lasted this long; she must be worthy. If not, he'd kill her, simple as that. But he highly doubted she was unworthy. And just the thought of meeting her in battle was enough to flush his system with pure adrenaline. He hadn't felt this rush of anticipation in so long that he'd actually grown fearful that he would never feel it again, that the Hunt would never hold the same level of intensity again for him.

He made his way into the central gathering hall. He knew that Thwei'ja's pack had to have returned by now. If they had, the Avian would surely be with them. He entered into the massive hall and saw dozens of Yautja milling about. The night hours were close to effect; a Clan Hunt had taken place recently and many of the Clan's warriors were likely preparing to bed down for the night. Warkha wondered at first if he'd missed them, but he spied what he was searching for as he eyed a table on the opposite end. He saw the brothers sitting there, talking over a drink. However, Thwei'ja was missing, and, more importantly, so was the Avian. Warkha felt his rage boiling to the surface as he realized she wasn't with the three brothers for a change and he stormed forward. The eldest, Than'ja, looked up sharply at his approach. The normally quiet Yautja issued a warning snarl, flaring his mandibles as he stood, his younger brothers following suit. Warkha was so keyed up by this point that he knew he'd probably be capable of taking all three young males on at once. However, to engage in such a mass fight in the main hall was a grave matter and all four of them would receive serious punishment for such a battle outside of the _kehrite_.

"Your group is rather small at the moment." Warkha remarked to Than'ja, eying him and his brothers angrily. Kar'kha's spines bristled and Ikthya'de stood with his shoulders tense, just waiting for the moment he'd need to strike. Than'ja clacked his tusks loudly, "State your business with us, Arbitrator. What transgression have we committed that you visit us personally?"

Warkha felt his own spines raising in aggravation as Than'ja tested his motives. The healer was intelligent.

"I was simply curious to where the Avian has disappeared to," he said as calmly as he could manage, "I had hoped to speak with her."

Ikthya'de let out a low, displeased growl, "Luar'ka will not return for a while, Arbitrator." he ground out, "She is in exile."

Warkha's eyes widened and he flared his tusks with a snarl, "Exile?!"

Than'ja regarded him sternly, "Yes. While we had spent time on _N-'ithya_ , she deserted us briefly on her own Hunt, against the wishes of our pack leader. Elder Sechinde ordered her to spend twenty rotations on _N-yuicte_ as punishment."

Ikthya'de's eyes flashed and he stepped forward, "You have no business in this affair, Warkha." he hissed warningly.

Warkha ignored the obvious prod as he pulled his mandibles back against his face, his eyes narrowing, "She disobeyed a pack leader, did she? This is quite disappointing. I had believed her to be far more honorable than this. Perhaps she is less worthy an opponent than I thought."

Even Warkha jumped when Ikthya'de let out a shrill hissing snarl and stalked forward, his golden eyes flaming. Than'ja rumbled deep in his chest, growling warningly at his brother, but too late to stop him. Kar'kha held his ground, braced for any kind of fight he may have to stop. This was a bad time for this to happen.

Warkha stared down at the incensed Yautja before him. Ikthya'de was only a few inches shorter than he was, but the look of pure malice in his eyes was almost enough to set the Arbitrator off.

Almost.

"Warkha," Ikthya'de hissed, "I will not tolerate you smudging her honor while she is not present to defend it herself."

Warkha leered angrily at him, "You defend the honor of the Avian?" he sneered, "To say so little of the honor you hold for yourself."

It happened too fast. Ikthya'de snarled, shoving Warkha back, the smear against his own honor on top of the absent Luar'ka's too much for his patience to bear. Than'ja barked in warning as Warkha smashed his fist against Ikthya'de's skull, throwing him to the ground. He rolled with the impact, scrambling back to his feet as Warkha lunged at him again. Ikthya'de crashed into him, shoving him back as Warkha buried his claws deep into his opponent's throat, snarling furiously at the younger Yautja.

Than'ja looked around warily as onlooking Yautja began to take notice of the fight. Some, mostly Youngbloods, were roaring and jeering support of the fight, while older males became guarded, judging the situation. Fights outside of the _kehrite_ were forbidden for a reason. With so many short tempered predators in one place and nowhere to go outside the Clan ship, cohesiveness needed to be maintained at all costs. Any Yautja caught battling outside of the training rooms were usually punished severely. The occasional little spat here and there was fine, but this was likely going to turn into a full on death match.

Warkha managed to grab Ikthya'de's tendrils close to the base, twisting his head down at an angle as the younger Yautja let out a snarling yelp at the sudden painful yank. However, Ikthya'de shifted his weight and used the new angle to brace himself, slamming his fist against Warkha's chest, driving the wind out of him and loosening his grip. The smaller Yautja twisted out of his grip, causing Warkha's talons to rake deeply against the fleshy tendrils as he did. As he recovered from the unexpected blow, Ikthya'de straightened up, grabbing his foe's shoulders and bashing his skull fiercely against Warkha's, driving him back further. Warkha recovered quickly from this and charged forward with a bellow, tusks flared widely as his fist connected with his opponent's face, his other hand going around to snatch his throat again. Having learned from last time, Ikthya'de hissed and threw himself backward, dragging Warkha with him as he twisted and used his own momentum to hurl the white Yautja to the floor. Warkha landed hard and his arms went up to block Ikthya'de's fist coming down toward his face as the younger Yautja pummeled him furiously. The arbitrator roared viciously and brought his leg up, catching his knee against Ikthya'de's chest and lifting his upper body up to bash his elbow against his face, knocking him aside. Again, he was amazed at the younger Yauja's ability to recover from such heavy blows as he shook his head and snarled, throwing another punch to Warkha's head. Warkha lowered his skull, the blow smashing against his crest with a sickening crack. His arm shot up to block another blow and used the momentum of the shot to push himself back, rolling to his side and crouching a short distance away. Ikthya'de straightened to his feet, keeping an eye on the newly acquired distance as the two circled one another, growling furiously. Both were bleeding from the many blows they'd traded, but Warkha had to admit this young warrior was much stronger than he appeared, and often acted.

It was now that Warkha realized this had gotten out of hand. The crowd of spectators was quite large by this point and he knew to drag it out further would not end well for either of them. His end goal was ultimately the Avian, not her pack.

"You fight quite well, Youngblood." he growled out. Ikthya'de said nothing, staring him down darkly with his lower mandibles hanging slack in clear aggression. He blinked in surprise when the white Yautja suddenly straightened up and backed away, his posture relaxing. Without another word, he withdrew into the crowd, shoving his way through the onlooking Yautja and ignoring the growls and snarls he earned as he did so. Ikthya'de barked angrily and would've followed him but for Than'ja grabbing his arm, "No, _mei'hswei_ , you must cease. Warkha ended the fight for a reason." he hissed quietly.

Ikthya'de glared at his twin as he struggled to calm his temper. His chest heaved, his blood pounded in his ears and the adrenaline surged through his body as he turned his head back to watch Warkha vanish through a corridor at the end of the great hall. His shoulders sagged in annoyance as he realized Than'ja was right; had any other arbitrators been in the vicinity during that fight, there was no doubt the both of them would have been dragged off to the lower levels and imprisoned for a time. If they remained in the hall, the chance was actually still there. It was always possible that more arbitrators had been summoned by onlookers.

The three brothers turned and, amidst the many chattering Yautja now keyed up over the brawl and arguing amongst themselves, left the hall quickly, seeking silence in which to talk quietly. This was found within the healing ward where Than'ja watched as Ikthya'de tended to his own injuries, as was expected. Kar'kha, sitting a short ways away, chuffed softly and shook his head, "Yet again, your temper and rage became your better, _mei'hswei_." he admonished.

"Your impulsive decision was the ultimate cause of this." Ikthya'de spat back at his younger brother, baring his teeth.

Kar'kha flared his three remaining tusks, "Your obsession over that suckling is hardly a secret, Ikthya'de!" he shouted.

"Explain the absence of this rational judgment the night you dragged her to the ship, Kar'kha!"

" _Ki'cte!_ " Than'ja roared, smashing his fist down so hard against the table that a jagged crack formed along the edge of the stone where he'd struck. Both brothers stared at him as he stood before them, his entire body rigid, his tendrils draped over his shoulders and his mandibles flared wider than they were sure they'd ever seen him flare them. They both shut up then, falling silent and sitting still. Than'ja rarely lost his temper and it was best to obey whenever he did. The eldest brother let out a huffing sigh, sitting down across from Kar'kha, his head drooping.

"Do either of you have any idea how serious this is?" he grumbled.

Ikthya'de rumbled deeply in his chest, his tusks clicking in thought, "I do. To think that Warkha has become obsessed over Luar'ka."

"It is much deeper than that," Than'ja said, "He desires to fight her. He may attempt to Hunt her. But that is not even the most serious."

"What are you saying?" Kar'kha asked sternly.

"Her tracker shows she still lives on _N-yuicte_. She has four rotations left to her exile. She has essentially survived. We are departing soon with Thwei'ja to retrieve either her, or her remains should anything unexpected occur. Once we have found her, do you understand what will happen?"

Ikthya'de raised his head, his eyes dark as he nodded, "Once she has returned, our ability to protect her further will come to an end." he said, "She will have become strong enough to survive exile; she can no longer hide."

Than'ja nodded, facing Kar'kha, "We can stand for her, no longer."

Ikthya'de straightened up, his eyes bright, "This is momentous, Than'ja. She has absorbed much. I am curious to watch her further developments. But more importantly, I am quite eager to observe her first true hunt as a Blooded warrior."

Kar'kha chittered quietly in thought, "First, she must survive her exile, _mei'hswei_."

Than'ja stood, rolling his shoulders as he tossed his head and stretched. He sighed heavily, "We may as well proceed then." he said, turning to them, "Let us go and retrieve our packmate, shall we?"

A/N: This delay was far too long, I know. I just moved into a new apartment and my internet connection isn't the best. I'm sitting at a restaurant while I'm updating. I hope to have more updates more regularly soon once I'm settled in. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter and a little look into the lives of some of the guys.


	29. Twenty Nine

Thirty

Thwei'ja tossed his head, watching silently as one of the _eta_ was thrown to the floor of docking area. The Elder Yautja who attacked him snarled furiously, advancing on the defiant, weaker Yautja. Thwei'ja had watched the _eta_ cross one of the Elders working on one of the ships, refusing to obey instructions for repairs. It was his own doing, certainly. Thwei'ja knew this particular Elder well and understood his choice in choosing to become a ship worker now that his Hunting days were pretty much over. The young _eta_ clearly didn't understand his true place in the system and would quickly learn it if he wanted to survive. Thwei'ja turned away, moving into his own ship. He supposed he might well do the same once he could no longer Hunt. He was sort of already doing it.

He waited, listening as the brothers arrived and began preparing the shuttle for launch. He had to admit, he'd gotten so used to the Avian's miniscule claws clicking against the metal floor in sharp contrast to the heavy Yautjan footfalls. It genuinely felt strange not to hear them.

The Avian's time in exile was nearly up. This mission was entrusted to them, as her pack, to go and retrieve her. If she survived until then, she would receive official pardon for her transgression. Her bracer was recording all of her vitals and activity. According to the data it transmitted back, she was faring quite well, with extended periods of near inactivity mixed in with sharp bouts of extreme movement. It was clear she was intelligent enough to conserve her energy and only move when she had to. The data showed her blood level had dropped sharply halfway through her exile, indicating she sustained some sort of injury. Thwei'ja hadn't expected her to fare this well. He was sure no one of his kind had. But the proof was in the data; the Avianwas stronger than she appeared.

/ooo/

 _N'-yuicte_ was a planet of green flora and thick, warm mists. The whole planet, save for the poles, was humid, tropical, teeming with life of the strangest varieties. Some familiar, others not. Many were herbivorous, hunted by the vicious predators that stalked them daily.

It could be considered that these local predators were to be preferred over the occasional visiting ones.

They landed atop the same mountain they'd left her on twenty rotations before when her exile began. Ikthya'de and Kar'kha had been chosen to retrieve her. Thwei'ja had determined from the bracer that Luar'ka wasn't at the planned pick-up site. This was a little confusing, but her vitals still continued to thrive. Ikthya'de and Kar'kha, both outfitted in their masks, arm and leg braces, shoulder braces and wrist gauntlets, and carrying a single burner apiece, exited the ship. They heard the hatch close behind them as they moved off into the gloom, seeking their wayward packmate. As they moved silently through the gloom, so steadily and so quietly that they might have been specters, they kept their eyes and ears trained for any sound. The trees were gnarled and twisted, the mist hung heavy and damp all around them. Ikthya'de immediately picked up the telltale signs of Luar'ka's lingering presence; a single black feather resting on the ground in the center of the trail. Ikthya'de tilted his head downward at the ground and Kar'kha saw what his brother had noticed; the trail was covered in thin, dry twigs, aligned almost purposefully. They glanced at each other and took the bait, proceeding forward down the trail and breaking the many dry twigs they stepped on. It was clear this pathway served a dual purpose for Luar'ka; a warning against intruders, as well as the arrival of company. How she determined the difference between the two was yet to be seen.

It became apparent after a short while that it was going to take some searching to find her. Ikthya'de's bracer showed that she still lived. Her vitals were fine. But she wasn't anywhere in the immediate area.

Kar'kha kept his eyes open, his senses trained on the world around him. This was a Hunting world he'd only been to once before. He knew enough about the place to know that some fairly vicious creatures lived within these forests, and that she'd chosen quite an interesting place to call her home while she was here.

They reached a shallow, fern-filled ravine. Ikthya'de leaped down easily, landing nearly soundlessly in a patch of thick moss that muffled the impact. He moved out of the way so Kar'kha could do the same. Here, they reached an impasse. Luar'ka's scent filled this small valley; she'd clearly done this on purpose. Kar;kha realized she'd learned to make use of her own scent trails to throw off pursuers. No doubt she'd been stalked and possibly even Hunted while she'd been on this world.

Ikthya'de turned to him and made a slashing motion through the air with his left hand. Kar'kha nodded; they were separating from here. He turned, activating his cloak and moving off through the foliage as Ikthya'de took the opposite trail.

The elder brother made his way up the steep embankment, his cloak obscuring his form from obvious view. He glanced back behind him and saw Kar'kha's outline disappearing into the trees at the end of the ravine. Luar'ka's scent was strongest at both of these points.

His head shot up at a familiar sound floating through the trees; a high pitched, warbling wail, coming in from the north. He trilled softly and continued in, following the direction of the sound. He felt the instinctive need to be wary; Luar'ka had been proving since they'd found her that she could be just as stealthy as them, and more so besides. On top of exile, she was likely to be nervous of anything she didn't recognize. It was important not to surprise her. He figured she'd lost track of the time while she'd been out here, explaining why she wasn't at the meeting point.

He heard it again. He had no doubt now that she was at least still in the area. But _where_ was she? In this forest, sounds carried and warped, making them seem to come from all over. But he was certain the sound was coming from somewhere to his left, further down the incline and into the mists. He continued forward, moving steadily and surely along the uneven terrain. This was a simple feat for him; he'd traversed much more difficult ground than this. Honestly, a hunt on this world would be simple enough to do in his sleep.

That wailing sound wafted in again, closer this time. Ikthya'de clenched his fists, bringing his blades into the open as he crouched slightly, clicking softly at the back of his throat. His mask showed him the terrain before him, but he made sure not to be over-reliant on it, training his other senses as carefully as he could. A soft thud behind him made him turn slowly, still cloaked. It was some kind of seed ball from the trees above, fallen down and landing on the muddy ground.

 _Hsssssssssssssshhhk!_

Ikthya'de felt his spines stand erect in alarm; that sounded like a _kainde amedha!_

He caught the distinct sound of tree bark splintering and whirled, his mask scanning the treetops for anything moving. He saw the branches waving in the sunlight streaming down through the breaks in the leaves and felt a growl stirring in his throat.

 _Sssssssssssssshhhkk!_

Ikthya'de let out a sharp snarl as something slammed into him from behind and he felt the flesh on his back being ripped open. He slashed his left blades up behind him in an arc and his attacker let out a shrill hiss. He'd been suspicious that this was Luar'ka he'd been following, that she simply didn't recognize him. But when he turned and saw the tell-tale black body and distinct domed skull, his suspicions were cast aside. It was smaller than a typical specimen, but there was no mistaking a _kainde amedha_. He couldn't believe his eyes; there shouldn't be any of the Hard Meats on this world! What was it doing here?

This thought crossed his mind as it launched toward him with a frightening burst of speed, its whip-like tail slashing the air behind it. There were small, dog-like creatures that subsisted on the even smaller rodents of this world; one of them must have been the host. But that still left the important question of how the egg had gotten here in the first place. Ikthya'de countered its forward charge with a swipe to the left, piercing its side with his blades and sending it flying. The vegetation that got splashed with its blood crackled, burned and died away as it rolled to a stop, staggering to its feet and charging again. Ikthya'de spread his feet apart, throwing his arms to the side and bellowing a challenge to this unexpected, but not unwelcome adversary. Its jaws gnashed toward his face, that inner mouth shooting out to impale his head and kill him. He crossed his arms over his face, its mouth catching over his left bracer and the inner jaw shooting out against his arm. He shrieked angrily as he felt his flesh tearing, whipping his arm downward and crushing the creature against the ground, pinning it in place with his foot as he brought his other blades down and pierced its skull with a single blow. Its final hiss died in its throat and Ikthya'de growled deeply as an answering hiss erupted from the forest behind him. He turned in time to face another _kainde amedha_ barreling toward him, mouth agape. His reaction wasn't quick enough and he knew he was going to receive more damage as he turned his body so his armor would deflect most of the blow.

 _Sssscccreeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaggghhh!_

Something erupted out of the ferns and bodily collided with the _kainde amedha_ , knocking both it and its attacker across the forest floor. The attacker, covered from head to toe in dried mud and leaves, straightened up, screeching darkly at the creature as they circled one another. The Hard Meat lunged again, barreling into the newcomer and sending both tumbling into the foliage. Ikthya'de grumbled deeply, listening to the savage battle just out of sight of the trees and the signature crackling of vegetation burning as more acid blood was spilled. He wanted to be angry that she'd saved him from attack from such a diminutive Hard Meat, but honestly, he was just surprised she'd come to his aid in the first place. He hadn't needed it, but she must have seen the ship descending, otherwise she likely wouldn't have been in the area.

The noise from the battle ceased, replaced by the sound of near soundless scuffling. With a shower of leaves and puffs of dirt, Luar'ka tumbled back into his side of the treeline, dragging the lifeless corpse of the Hard Meat behind her. In her right hand, she carried a crude knife that appeared to be made from the carapace of a dead _kainde amedha's_ tail. Certainly an effective weapon against the creatures, and this was made obvious by the deep puncture wounds in the small Hard Meat's throat. Her whole body was covered in caked on mud and debris and she stared at him with no expression on her face.

Ikthya'de cocked his head at her, thrilling softly. He could see her condition through the readings of his mask. Her body appeared to be in decent shape. However, he could see many fresh wounds all across her arms and upper torso. One of her wings also appeared to be broken, hanging limply at her right side. It seemed she'd had a rough time during her exile. However, for now, straight to business.

"You have survived," he declared, "The _Paya_ have looked upon you with favor, once more."

Luar'ka knelt before him, bowing her head, "For my transgression, I have endured my punishment." she said quietly, her voice scratchy.

"The Clan accepts you back within its fold. Stand and follow the Path with honor."

Luar'ka got to her feet and moved toward him. He saw that she also had a tiny limp that she was struggling to hide from him, to no avail. He noticed instantly, as well as the fact that her tail appeared more stiff than normal, clear compensation for balance for her injury. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"Where are your trophies?" he asked, referring to her order to have collected five during her time here. Luar'ka looked up at him and moved past him. Ikthya'de wordlessly followed her deeper into the forest. He didn't ask about her condition, her time spent alone on this world, or her injuries. But he noted with interest that her posture was stiffer and she walked with more purpose in her step. Her feathers, ragged and muddy, hung over her face, now darkened and focused. He again felt a swell of pride at how far she'd developed as a warrior. Gone was the timid, naïve little Avianthey'd taken. In her place stood the makings of a powerful Huntress.

Luar'ka led him to a cliff overlooking a powerful river raging below. She approached the edge of the shallow chasm, the roar of the water near deafening. He saw that she'd strung thick vines across the gap, wide enough for them to remain taut on the rocks she'd tied them to, but the distance short enough for him to jump. He suspected she might have been flying across until whatever happened to break her wing. He could see a shallow opening in the cliff opposite them and took a guess that that was where she set up her camp. He watched as she stepped out on the vine and, holding remarkably strong balance, tail stiffening, moved steadily and swiftly across, barely shaking at all. Her tail lashed as she jumped the rest of the way to the cliff edge and turned to him. He crouched and pushed off, clearing the near fifteen foot gap easily. He landed beside her and watched as she approached the cave, ducking beneath the overhanging rocks. The entrance was too narrow for him to enter, so he waited patiently as she fetched her trophies. He crouched down, listening to the roar of the water and vaguely wondering where Kar'kha had vanished to that he hadn't heard the fight between Luar'ka and the small Hard Meat.

Luar'ka emerged from the cave with the remains of a skull of what appeared to be a mid-sized herbivore. The skull was decently sized and well preserved, despite still possessing rotting flesh and hide. She clearly didn't know how to skin and preserve her trophies, yet.

She repeated the process four more times, revealing the trophies of one more herbivore, the skull of a fierce mammalian predator known to the Yautja as a _zohr'il_ , and of course, her Hard Meat catch from earlier. Each of the skulls was good sized, far bigger than her own, though not so large that she couldn't carry them individually. Ikthya'de found himself highly impressed. She was so small, but showing signs of being able to take out prey far larger than herself. Ikthya'de hefted her catches into a netted bag and hoisted this and her two larger trophies over his shoulder, leaving her to carry the corpse of the Hard Meat. She carried it by one of its neural spines along its back, preventing blood from spilling onto herself. It wasn't the easiest way to carry it, but it was the safest and most practical.

Once across the chasm, Luar'ka followed him back along the trail through the trees, carrying her trophy with her. Even though she was clearly fighting not to let it show, he could see without a doubt that her limp was bothering her and slowing her down whether she liked it or not. But like any true Yautja warrior, she showed no signs of pain or complaint. She would endure her injuries gracefully until she could seek treatment.

He was most definitely looking forward to bringing her back to the Clan ship. She had survived her exile in excellent fashion and now had five superb trophies to add to her collection.

However, there was one thing that was bothering him, a thought which he chose to vocalize as they walked, "Luar'ka," he said, "How many _kainde amedha_ have you Hunted during your exile?"

"Four," she answered, "These I managed to kill. I have seen ten, including the one I carry. I was pursuing those two earlier."

So that explained her absence from the pick up point. She'd been Hunting the two Hard Meats that attacked him.

"I was not aware that _kainde amedha_ could be found here." she said wonderingly.

"They are not." he rumbled deeply, "To my knowledge, they are rarely planted here."

Luar'ka glanced at him then and he saw that she was thinking the same thing he was. Like on _N'-ithya_ , Hard Meats eggs were being planted where they shouldn't be, _Tou'amedha_ were impregnating unwitting hosts, and vicious _kainde amedha_ were running loose unchecked as a result.

"I recorded their appearance," he told her, "I am quite sure the Elders will want to see this."

"I do not like this, _mei'hswei_..." she mumbled darkly.

"Nor do I," he agreed, "But for now, we must return to the ship. Thwei'ja grows impatient. It is time for you to return with your honorable kills, _mei'jadhi_."

Here, she smiled, hissing softly in pleasure, "I look forward to it."

/ooo/

Thwei'ja kept vigil in the cockpit, keeping an eye on their surroundings while Kar'kha and Ikthya'de fetched the Avian. Thwei'ja was forced to admit that he was impressed with her; though young and still extremely inexperienced, she'd survived exile. Since their time spent together on _N'-ithya_ , she'd continued to surpass his expectations. While he still disliked the notion of the Avianoccupying a space within his established Hunting pack, he was forced to acknowledge her abilities, as well as the fact that they just continued to grow.

At the very least, he felt better about Blooding her.

The familiar alarm sounded and Than'ja looked up, "Transmission, Thwei'ja." he said.

"I am aware."

Thwei'ja opened the transmission, revealing it to be a visual message. He held back the snarl of distaste at the sight of Me'vi-te, though the displeased growl couldn't be suppressed. Me'vi-te issued a short snarl of his own, showing that their irritation was clearly mutual. But they held back the verbal lashings they might have prepared for one another.

"To what do I owe the time?" Thwei'ja asked. This was certainly _no_ honor.

 _"Elders Sechinde and Lu'rchh have been dispatched to N'-ithya with two packs each, Thwei'ja."_

"For what purpose?" Thwei'ja asked, quite surprised at the news. Elder Sechinde was far past his prime and rarely Hunted anymore. For him to join a pack was quite unusual, and highly concerning.

 _"How long has it been since the Hunting of the Hard Meat hive on that world?"_ Me'vi-te asked.

"Nearly twenty rotations, precisely."

 _"During that Hunt, you were joined by a To're'khe Hunting pack who assisted in the extermination. Is this correct?_ "

"Yes, that is correct." Thwei'ja asked, his eyes narrowing, "What has happened?"

Than'ja looked up from his station, sensing the tension that Thwei'ja was radiating. He looked up to watch his sire on the monitor, his spines stiffening. Me'vi-te torqued his mandibles into a scowl, his eyes flashing, _"That Hunting pack remained on the planet for a brief time after you departed. We have been unable to contact them until now. One member of that pack has reported in, Thwei'ja."_

"And what has happened?"

 _"Every member of that pack has been slaughtered. Sechinde has gone with Lu'rchh to retrieve the survivor and destroy the evidence. He has transmitted his mask's recordings to us, however there is a problem."_

Me'vi-te looked away for a moment, preparing the visual feed for sending. Thwei'ja glanced to the right as the line of text appeared on the monitor and he opened it. It showed the same forest where he'd traversed unexpectedly to locate the Avianafter she deserted. The recordings were clearly those of the survivor as he scrambled up onto higher ground and turned around, only to be met with a suffocating, stiflingly cold black cloud in his face. This rendered his vision completely useless, resulting in blindness as he veered this way and that, trying to see through the thick cloud. The only thing the mask picked up was a thick blue layer with occasional heat signatures moving erratically within, though it was painfully clear that their temperatures were far lower than normal thanks to the strange cloud. He switched to multiple settings, but they didn't seem to work much better. Thwei'ja's eyes widened, but he stayed still, listening to the sounds of infuriated roaring in the background. He heard the signature clash of metal on metal, and something landed heavily not far from the loner. When he turned around again, Thwei'ja saw that the cloud had billowed up and around him, blocking his view entirely. He was made entirely blind, and his breaths could be heard growing more labored. Behind him, the high pitched trilling scream of a dying Yautja could be heard and the survivor whirled again, trying to see his fallen brother. A fuzzy, unrecognizable heat signature suddenly erupted from the cloud and plowed into the survivor, knocking him backwards. The recording fizzled in and out as he tumbled briefly down a sharp slope, finally catching himself on an outcropping of rocks and holding on. His recording faced upward again where among the line of trees and rocks, the thick, cold cloud billowed outward at a steady rate, hiding the raging battle from view. The survivor started trying to climb back up, but the rock he held gave way, causing him to plummet further down the cliff, the battle falling out of sight and the recording cutting away abruptly as he hit the ground, his mask dislodging itself from his face from the impact.

Thwei'ja bowed his head in brief mourning for the fallen Yautja he'd Hunted with only days before. But this was merely the Path; to live was to die. Honor gained in between the two made the difference for whatever came afterward.

"How long ago was this?" he asked.

 _"This was received roughly three rotations prior to now. That survivor's name is Te'oce-de. As far as we know, he is still alive. He has set multiple tracking beacons that Elder Sechinde is following now._ "

"Why send this to me?" Thwei'ja asked.

 _" Because you and your pack last interacted with theirs. We had hoped you might know something_."

Thwei'ja shook his head, clacking his tusks in aggravation, "No more so than you. Do we know what that cloud was?"

Me'vi-te's clenched mandibles and lack of response told Thwei'ja all he needed to know. They had no idea what it was, yet.

"Well," he said quietly, "Finally, an issue we reach agreement with."

Me'vi-te nodded once, _"I am in agreement, Thwei'ja. I have continued contact with Elder Sechinde on Te'oce-de's retrieval. Once we have him, I shall permit you to speak with Te'oce-de. Perhaps we will be able to learn more._ "

"Our time on _N'-yuicte_ is ending shortly. We will return to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ until we are ordered otherwise." Thwei'ja informed him. Me'vi-te confirmed this and the transmission ended.

Thwei'ja had known several of those _To're'khe_ warriors well. He'd assisted in training several of them and had served as an observer on the _kainde amedha chivas_ of those individuals. They'd been strong, honorable warriors, of this there was no doubt. Thwei'ja fell silent, his head bowed for only a minute as he mourned the loss of those comrades.

Enough. There was work to be done. Whatever that cloud was, it had blinded those warriors, allowing their assailants to take them out absurdly easily. While the Yautja made it a deeply rooted rule not to reveal their existence to prey, sometimes it just couldn't be helped. Indeed, there were a few varieties of races throughout the galaxy that not only harbored strong feelings of hatred toward them, but also likely knew the secrets of their biology to some extent. It was possible this was a declaration of war by another race. The problem was identifying that race.

Thwei'ja snarled viciously and stood up, moving out into the corridor and leaving Than'ja in second command for a while. He needed to get Kar'kha and Ikthya'de back on the ship immediately with the Avian. They couldn't afford to waste anymore time here.

He had geared up and was about to head outside when he heard the main hatchway opening and approached to see the two brothers and the Avianascending the ramp into the ship. To Thwei'ja's amazement, Ikthya'de carried with him a net bag filled with Hunted trophies that couldn't have been his, to say nothing of the _kainde amedha_ the Aviancarried over her shoulder. They both looked at him as he appeared and Ikthya'de's tusks had loosened, his expression grave, "We have encountered something rather interesting, Leader." he said, his voice low as he gestured to the _kainde amedha_ that the Avianhefted off her shoulder and allowed to drop to the floor, scattering the mists as she did so. She stepped back, her tail lashing slowly, "I have killed four and seen ten of these," she explained, "And if you would have me do so, I can lead you to where I left the corpses."

Thwei'ja couldn't believe it; _kainde amedha_ had been seeded on this world, where _none_ should have been seeded! He had received no notice, no forewarning of anything. And yet here, indisputable evidence lay festering on the floor before him. The stench of its corrosive blood was potent and Thwei'ja clenched his fists, his eyes raising to the Avian, "How near are they?"

"Not far," she said, "I did not stray much further from this position while I have been here."

Thwei'ja barked a command for her to go and she instantly understood, turning and exiting the ship once more. He strode past Ikthya'de, knowing he'd probably recorded some, but he knew he needed more evidence.

This was _not_ good.

/ooo/

Thwei'ja stood on a fallen tree overlooking a vast basin at the base of a waterfall. The water most likely fed into an underground passageway, because the basin had no way out of it outside the outer rim he stood on. It seemed like it might have been the result of a sinkhole. Either way, he could see the remains of one of the _kainde amedha_ festering at the bottom. It had been stabbed through the head, its throat slashed nearly completely, just as she'd killed the first one back on _N'-ithya_. He glanced at her, perched on one of the branches of the tree, her claws tucked tight against her abdomen as she stared darkly down into the pool. Her tail hung straight behind her, balancing her as she sat so precariously.

"How long ago?" he asked.

"Ten rotations into my exile." she answered. "I had hung the first corpse up to try to attract others. It worked. I threw them in here. I do not know how to skin trophies yet, and they could not be eaten."

Her reasoning was sound, and Thwei'ja knew she'd acquired her requested five trophies. She had proven herself. These latest kills further corroborated her story. His mask recorded everything. He huffed deeply, "Are there others?"

"There are, but they live on, yet." Luar'ka explained, "I have seen six others in this vicinity that I could not kill. They were birthed by much larger hosts and I am currently too small to handle them at my level."

Thwei'ja would have liked to Hunt them down immediately, but there was no more time. They needed to leave very soon. He would transmit the coordinates and general region of the sightings to other packs and they would finish the job. He glanced at the Avianagain. Her feathers were extended and flushed deeply with rich colors. Her eyes were glued on the corpse at the bottom of the basin, as if it might come alive at any moment. She sat perched on coiled legs ready to spring, but barely budged an inch otherwise. To an extent, as he watched her, he understood the concerns of the Elders. The signs became more present every day. Clearly, she was developing into quite a fearsome creature.

"We shall return for now. We must leave at once." Thwei'ja said, his tone daring her to question him. She jumped down, bowing her head toward him, "Yes, Thwei'ja." she replied obediently.

He headed back through the dense vegetation, aware of her walking behind him. He really didn't like this. He didn't know where these eggs were coming from. That missing shuttle still hadn't been located. There was no way that shuttle had been responsible for these appearances on _N'-yuicte_. On top of that, an entire pack of _To're'khe_ warriors had been slaughtered by a cunning unknown assailant who knew of the Yautja's biological structure and of their weakness to cold temperatures. Not long before now, Thwei'ja would have balked at the idea of bringing the Avianback aboard his ship, but now he knew that she was the least of his worries. In fact, he almost deemed her harmless in comparison. However, he himself had Blooded her. He had seen her skills developing and knew they were acceptable, if not praiseworthy for a creature her size. There were not many beasts of prey to the Yautja that matched the sheer speed and agility to the _kainde amedha_ such as the Avian did. This speed and agility seemed to come naturally for her. It may very well be that she might be of use to the Clan after all. Skilled _hult'ah_ , or observers were hard to find among the boisterous and easily excitable Youngbloods, meaning they were difficult to train for such a role. It was a stretch, but perhaps the Avian's natural tendency to perch and study could be molded. The Yautja were nothing else if not opportunistic.

"Avian," he said, pausing as they approached the ship. He turned; she stood at attention, back straight and head down, eyes averted, "Do you know the function of _hult'ah-de_ in a pack formation?"

She raised her gaze slightly, her eyes narrowing, "I do. The 'Watcher'. The role of the _hult'ah_ is to keep alert for external threats to the hunt and be ready to engage in times of attack. Often the first attacked, but usually the most agile and capable of evading."

Thwei'ja hissed, pleased at her response, "Your given role by Sechinde will be needed infrequently. I want you to fill the role of observer within my pack. With the oncoming requirements we will be called upon to fill, I believe you be most useful within this position."

He watched as she went over it in her mind before raising her head. She crossed her arm across her chest and bowed in acceptance of his command, not saying anything.

Luar'ka watched as Thwei'ja turned away again, moving toward the ship. She continued after him, contemplating her new role. It had been abrupt, but that was always his way. He wasn't one for useless words. Her place now, _hult'ah-de_ , Observing, Watching, Guarding. While she didn't know the full extent of the details, she knew that something was very wrong. She'd seen all the signs, both here and back on _N'-ithya_. There was something very bad on the horizon. She allowed herself the brief time until they ascended the ramp to feel intense pride at Thwei'ja's assignment for her. Once the hatch closed however, she snapped her mind back to the business at hand. She had five trophies to learn how to skin and she knew that they were returning to the _Jag'dja'd atoll_ very soon, now. There, for the first time, she would have an actual place. A small place, but a place nonetheless. There was much to accomplish, much to discover, and all this weighed heavily on her mind as she made her way to the storeroom—no... _her_ room. She buried herself in her soft pallet, inhaling the familiar scent she'd inundated it with. Her duties could wait for now. The journey back into space would last a while, and she could take this time to recuperate.

She slept deeply for the first time in many, many days.

A/N: Okay, it took a while to sort out what had gone wrong with the story, but I think I finally got it. A few people pointed out to me that Luar'ka just sort of 'reappeared' with her brothers. That's true; she did. I forgot to include the chapter where they actually go to collect her. So here's the missing chapter and thank you for your patience.


End file.
